Published: Thursday, 4th February, 2010 2:53pm

Don't get your hopes up

Work commences yesterday (Wednesday) at the Tempo Road end of the new Cherrymount Link.

The long awaited Cherrymount Link Road to the north of Enniskillen is to finally begin but it will not be complete for at least three years yet and then only if the funding is available, according to the Regional Development Minister, Conor Murphy.

The first stage is for the advance construction work which involves clearing the site and placing fill material in areas of poor underlying ground conditions began this week.

The contract for the second stage of the project which is estimated to cost around £13 million, to complete the works could be awarded in the 2011/2012 financial year depending on funding, the Minister said. So it appears the project will not be completed for at least three years.

He explained that the initial stage for the placement of the fill material to consolidate the soft underlying ground will take a period of approximately 12 months to complete.

Mr. Murphy said: "This is an important scheme and has been long awaited by the local community and motorists moving in and around the town of Enniskillen. It will relieve congestion in the town centre and Gaol Square in particular, and provide a transport link between the A4 to Belfast and the A32 to Omagh. The new link road will also open up land for development in accordance with the Fermanagh Area Plan."

Statutory public consultation on the preferred route for the A32 Cherrymount Link Road was introduced by the Department for Regional Development following the publication of the Notice of Intention to Proceed, together with the Vesting Order and The Direction Order in February 2009.

The new trunk route will provide a link from the existing Cherrymount Road / Cornagrade Road Roundabout to the north of Enniskillen and extending to the B80 Tempo Road to the east. This will put in place a direct link from the A32 Irvinestown Road to the A4 Dublin Road via the Tempo Road and Wickham Place.

The £13 million scheme incorporates a single two-lane carriageway extending over a length of two kilometres. The existing northern section, will be widened locally to make provision for a short length (0.5 kilometres) of single lane dualling, leading to 1.5 kilometres of new single carriageway construction from Carn Industrial estate across the Coa Road to connect with the B80 Tempo Road in the vicinity of Cherryvalley housing development.

The works will also involve slight alteration to the Cherrymount Roundabout and the construction of three new roundabout junctions to tie-in with the existing road network and a further roundabout making provision for access to lands zoned for future housing development. Two footbridges are proposed over the new link road to provide safe pedestrian crossing facilities; one due south of Coa Road for use by the general public and the second within the grounds of St Michael's College for the sole use of students going to and from St Michael's playing fields.

When complete the new road will have several key aims; to reduce traffic congestion at the Gaol Square and provide a quick link between the A4 to Belfast and the A32 to Omagh without the need to drive through Enniskillen.

At Fermanagh District Council on Monday, councillors welcomed the fact that the project was starting this week but seemed unaware that it will be a number of years before the Fermanagh motoring will actually benefit from it.

Councillor Tom Elliott said, "I am pleased that work on the new link has commenced. It's nice that is has been started, even though it should have been done four years ago. I think it is an absolute disgrace that it has never been finished. We need progress.

Gerry McHugh commented, "I share the disgust at the non-progress. When it does come it'll be lauded as something great, meaning the southern bypass will be pushed even further away."

Another councillor, Thomas O'Reilly: "It is a disgrace that this hasn't been completed and year-on-year it's getting further away. By the time it's complete by 2012, God's knows what how much it will cost."

However, Councillor Bernice Swift frustrated with the delay said, "It's about high time those in Stormont get the proverbial finger out and provide that funding. I would like to see this construction completed immediately."