Latest News updates
News Update - 5th June 2024
Following the commencement of Phase 3 (Design and Environmental Evaluation) in December 2021, the Project Team has made progress on the development of the design of the Preferred Transport Solution.
Our environmental specialists continue to undertake wide ranging ecology surveys in relation to badgers, otters, birds, bats, and barn owls amongst others. In addition, noise and air quality surveys, archaeological geophysical surveys, cultural heritage walkover surveys, agronomy surveys, and ground investigation works have progressed. These surveys have been facilitated by landowners granting Wexford County Council and our agents’ permission to access their lands, and liaison is on-going.
In line with current policies, e.g. the Climate Action Plan, the Project Team are now examining provision of the following facilities as part of the project:
- An Online Service Area with EV Charging infrastructure and Safe & Secure Parking facilities.
- Active Travel facilities to meet future demand.
This body of work is extensive, and has extended the timeframe to complete Phase 3.
It is programmed that the project will be submitted to the Department of Transport (in accordance with the Infrastructure Guidelines) in Q1 2026; with permission to make Planning Application submission to An Bord Pleanála (i.e. to progress to Phase 4 – Statutory Processes) anticipated in Q3 2026 (subject to receiving the necessary approvals and the availability of funding).
News Update - 14th february 2022
Following the completion and approval of Phase 2 option selection process, Phase 3 process is now progressing. Phase 3 will see us undertake the Design and Environmental Evaluation of the selected route. We have therefore published a project newsletter to provide an update on this process and likely timelines.
As Covid-19 restrictions have now been predominately lifted, we will not be delivering a newsletter to each household. The newsletter is available to view and download below and copies are also being made available at shops, service stations and public buildings in the area in the coming days.
Update - 3rd August 2021
The Option Selection Report is now available to view on the Publications page of the website.
Press release - 17th June 2021
Wexford County Council Announces Preferred Scheme Option for
N11/N25 Oilgate to Rosslare Harbour Scheme
- Option C will utilise a mix of existing and new roads to improve safety, capacity, and journey times.
- Public will have the opportunity to view the route and related documentation via a specially designed virtual display room at oilgate2rosslareharbour.ie
17th June 2021: Wexford County Council has today announced that Option C has been confirmed as the scheme option that can best deliver the objectives of the N11/N25 Oilgate to Rosslare Harbour scheme. This critically important infrastructural project aims to significantly improve road safety, expand capacity, and shorten journeys for both private and commercial traffic in the Wexford region, particularly in light of the increased importance of Rosslare Europort post-Brexit.
Scheme Option C is approximately 31km in length and utilises a mix of both the existing road corridor, which will be upgraded, and new corridor that will bypass significant constraints and deficiencies on sections of the existing corridor.
Over 28,000 residents in the municipal districts of Enniscorthy, Gorey/Kilmuckridge, Wexford & Rosslare are being issued with information on the route and anticipated next steps from today (Thursday 17th June). The public is also being invited to visit www.oilgate2rosslareharbour.ie to view all details and documentation related to the scheme. Should there be any comments or observations on the selected scheme option that may inform the further development of the scheme they can be submitted via the contact points provided below by Friday 16th July.
Wexford County Council’s Chief Executive Tom Enright welcomed the announcement stating “The development of the N11/N25 Oilgate to Rosslare Harbour project is a key strategic objective of the County Development Plan and a key enabler for the further economic development of the county. The project will significantly enhance regional and international connectivity, thereby helping to both solve the some of the challenges caused by Brexit and to capitalise on opportunities to attract further investment to the region.”
Wexford County Council’s Director of Service Eamonn Hore, said, “The impacts of Brexit have significantly intensified Rosslare Europort’s strategic importance as a gateway for Irish trade and tourism. Even in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, weekly continental ferry services at the Port have increased to 34 per week. Freight volumes with continental Europe increased by approximately 460% in the first half of 2021, and overall freight volumes, including Britain, have increased by 60%. The N11/N25 Oilgate to Rosslare Harbour project aims to secure the future resilience of this critical international land-sea corridor by delivering a safe, sustainable, high-quality and cost effective transport connection with Rosslare Europort”.
An Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council, Councillor Ger Carthy, added, “County Wexford and Rosslare Europort in particular are strategically located gateways between the island of Ireland and mainland Europe. This brings both opportunities and challenges, and high-quality connectivity is essential to the county’s economic competitiveness, its ability to attract inward investment and its attractiveness as a tourism destination. I welcome the announcement of this major milestone in the project’s progress, and trust that the project will continue to actively engage with local communities, local land and property owners and other project stakeholders as the scheme further develops towards the planning processes”.
Currently, the preferred scheme option is presented as a 300m wide corridor. This does not represent the actual width of the road scheme once the design has been developed, or the extent of lands that are needed. The next phase of the project will involve a more detailed analysis of this 300m corridor to develop a specific road alignment to minimise or mitigate impacts on properties and the environment.
Scheme Option C is unchanged since the public consultation in July & August 2020. It also follows a similar route to the option previously selected in 2011, albeit factoring in a number of significant considerations that have emerged since then, especially with regard to transport and environmental policy, guidelines and standards.
For more visit www.oilgate2rosslareharbour.ie.
Should there be any comments or observations on the selected scheme option that may inform the further development of the scheme, they can be submitted via the contact points provided below. Any such comments or observations should be submitted by Friday 16th July.
Information in relation to ongoing progress, current news items, and project reports will continue to be published on the project website as the scheme develops. Public information events will also continue to be arranged at key milestones in the project’s development.
Any queries or comments can continue to be submitted to the project team at the contact points below. The project team will endeavour to respond to any queries as soon as possible.
Freepost: Licence WX 7400, N11/N25 Oilgate to Rosslare Harbour Scheme, Wexford County Council, Carricklawn, Business Reply, Wexford, Y35 WY93, Ireland.
Email: nrlo@wexfordcoco.ie | Phone: 053 92 32358
Option Selection process Update - Monday 8th March 2021
Update on Option Selection Process
The appraisal of scheme options to identify the preferred scheme option is now nearing completion. These are times of uncertainty and transformation, and the project must respond to these changes in order to ensure the development of a proposed scheme that meets the future needs of society in a sustainable and effective manner and in line with changing government policy. As a result, the option selection process is taking longer than was initially anticipated. In these circumstances a project newsletter has been prepared to describe some of the complexities and challenges that have extended the option selection process, and to present some of the studies that are being carried out to assess the potential impacts that these changes may have on the project’s development. The newsletter also provides a timeline for the anticipated announcement of the preferred scheme option. The newsletter is available to view and download below and arrangements are being made with An Post to deliver copies of the newsletter directly to homes in the coming weeks.
News Update - wednesday 16th september 2020
Public Consultation Update:
The public consultation on the constraints study and scheme options took place from the 6th of July to the 10th of August and the Public Consultation Report is now available to view here Public Consultation Report. The report summarises how the public consultation was managed and implemented, the level of public participation achieved, and the main items of feedback received. All feedback has now been considered by the project team and the detailed assessment of the scheme options (and different combinations of scheme options) is progressing in order to identify the option that best meets the project objectives. This detailed assessment process will continue through the remainder of 2020 and into early 2021 and it is anticipated that the preferred scheme option will be confirmed in late February or early March of 2021. An Option Selection Report will then be published which will describe the assessment and selection process and outline the rationale for the selection of the preferred option. This Option Selection Report and preferred scheme option will be published on this project website and will also be displayed for public information. Arrangements for public engagement on the preferred scheme option will be made at the time subject to guidelines in place at the time to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Wexford County Council and the project team would again like to thank all those who participated in the public consultation. The project team remains available to answer general project queries via the contact details provided on this website.
News Update - Tuesday 11th august 2020
Public Consultation Update 11th August 2020:
The public consultation on the constraints study and scheme options ended on Monday the 10th of August 2020. The project team would like to thank all those who took time to engage with the project and for making submissions during the public consultation. The feedback received will now be reviewed and considered to further inform the assessment of the scheme options. A post-consultation report will be prepared and published on this website which will summarise the consultation process as well as the key feedback and commentary received. The assessment of the scheme options will proceed during the summer in order to identify the preferred scheme option. An Option Selection Report will then be prepared which will describe the assessment and selection process and outline the rationale for the selection of the preferred option. This Option Selection Report will be published on this project website and the preferred option will also be displayed for information.
The project team remains available to answer any general project queries via the contact details provided on this website
News Update - Tuesday 28th July 2020
Public Consultation further extended to Monday August 10th
The current public consultation has achieved a high level of engagement to date with hundreds of phone and email queries responded to, over 30,000 website views and hundreds of submissions already received. The project team continues to dedicate significant time to respond to queries and to facilitate this ongoing dialogue, Wexford County Council has decided to extend the public consultation by a further week. The deadline for receipt of submissions is now 5pm on Monday 10th August 2020. During this time feedback forms can continue to be submitted online at www.oilgate2rosslareharbour.ie or by freepost. The project would request that any final queries are received by phone or email by 5pm on Friday July 31st to allow the final week of the public consultation to be dedicated to the preparation and receipt of final submissions.
News Update - Tuesday 7th July 2020
There is a very high level of Interest in the public consultation for the N11/N25 Oilgate to Rosslare Harbour Scheme, with a large volume of responses coming from local residents. To better facilitate this ongoing dialogue, Wexford County Council has extended the current public consultation by a further two weeks.
Members of the public will now have until Monday 3rd August to submit their feedback forms online at www.oilgate2rosslareharbour.ie or by freepost using the envelope provided in leaflets distributed in the area.
The timeline for engaging directly with the project team as part of the public consultation has also been extended until 5.00pm on Friday 10th July. During this time senior members of the project team will be available to respond to all queries as soon as possible, and to provide further information that may be requested. Queries can be submitted via the project customer services phone line on 053 9196000 or by email at customerservice@wexfordcoco.ie, and arrangements will be made for a senior member of the project team to get in touch. General project queries can continue to be directed to the project at any time via phone, email, post, or the website.
Notwithstanding the ongoing restrictions in place due to Covid-19 which restricts face to face public information meetings, Wexford County Council is committed to engaging in a comprehensive, informative and constructive public consultation process to provide the public with all of the information that is available at this early stage of the option selection process. The process will also allow for vital feedback which will contribute to the project team’s assessment of all available scheme options
Press release - Tuesday 30th June 2020
Wexford County Council seeks the public’s views on proposed N11/N25 Oilgate to Rosslare Harbour Scheme
New scheme aims to develop over 30kms of high-quality road from the M11 north of Oilgate to the N25 at Rosslare Harbour, improving network resilience, road safety and access to Rosslare Europort.
Public will have the opportunity to contribute to the scheme development during the consultation process which runs from Monday 6th until Monday 20th July 2020.
The website www.oilgate2rosslareharbour.ie will provide a centralised location for information and feedback.
30th June 2020: Wexford County Council has today announced that it will shortly begin a public consultation process on the proposed N11/N25 Oilgate to Rosslare Harbour Scheme.
The public consultation process runs from Monday 6th July to Monday 20th July 2020, and offers an opportunity for members of the public to voice their opinions and to contribute to the overall development of the project.
After a comprehensive feasibility and constraints study, eight scheme options are being considered. The details of these options, along with other scheme information, is available at www.oilgate2rosslareharbour.ie. Wexford County Council is now giving residents and the general public an opportunity to provide feedback, comments, and observations to the project team on the constraints study and proposed scheme options.
Information leaflets are currently being distributed to almost 7,000 homes and other properties within the study area, and the public will have an opportunity to submit their observations before close of business on Monday the 20th July.
The scheme aims to develop over 30km section of high-quality road which will link Rosslare Europort (and the greater south Wexford area) with Dublin via the M11, and Cork & Waterford via the N25.
Wexford County Council’s Director of Service Eamonn Hore, said, “Rosslare Europort has become increasingly busy over the last few years, resulting in increased pressure on the infrastructure serving the Port and communities across south Wexford. The outcome of Brexit means that Rosslare is of ever increasing importance as a primary transport link with the continent, and though this increase in trade and tourism will bring welcome economic benefits to both the South East and Ireland in general, it will also result in increasing pressures on road capacity and safety along the N11 and N25 corridors linking to Rosslare Europort. This scheme aims to address this by upgrading the transport corridor from the current M11 motorway to Rosslare Harbour, resulting in safer, easier access.
“We want to hear the views of the public with regards to the proposed scheme options. With the current restrictions on large gatherings in place due to Covid-19, we cannot hold an information session, as we would during normal times. However, the public will be able to express their views and have direct contact with the project team via phone conversations, as well as on-line and email services”.
How will this new way of Public Consultation work?
A feedback form is included with the brochures being distributed and this can be returned to the project team by freepost. The feedback form can also be completed online on the project website www.oilgate2rosslareharbour.ie.
Alternatively, the public can telephone 053 9196000 where all requests for information and feedback will be handled promptly. To allow the project team to review and consider queries fully, we would ask that email or phone queries are submitted before 4pm on Tuesday the 7th of July.
This project website www.oilgate2rosslareharbour.ie will provide a central point for all the latest project information and feedback.
All queries or comments in relation to the project may be addressed to: N11/N25 Oilgate to Rosslare Harbour, Wexford County Council, Carricklawn, Wexford Y35 WY93 Phone: 053 9196000 Email: customerservice@wexfordcoco.ie Website: www.oilgate2rosslareharbour.ie/contact-us
All feedback received will be considered by the project team and a post-consultation report will be published on the project website. This report will summarise the consultation process and the matters raised during the consultation.
News Update - Tuesday 24th march 2020
In accordance with the requirements of national guidelines for infrastructure projects, the first phase of the project has been completed and has confirmed the project’s strategic fit with current policies and programmes and has also identified the need for the scheme and its objectives. A study area for the project has also been identified, and a broad range of constraints and features have been identified which could influence the identification and assessment of viable scheme options.
We are now in a position to engage with the public on the finding of the constraints study. However in accordance with the current covid-19 restrictions and advice, all direct project consultations and meetings have been postponed until further notice. Once covid-19 restrictions are lifted a public consultation event will be arranged to present the findings of the constraints study and the scheme options, and to seek the public’s feedback. Prior notice of this consultation event will be advertised on this website and on local media and relevant information will also be uploaded to the project website in advance. In the meantime we will continue to address any project queries by phone or email via the contact details provided on the ‘Contact Us’ page of the website.
The project team will also continue to perform their duties where possible and in line with government advice, but the scheme will not progress beyond any phases that require public consultation (as outlined in national guidelines for infrastructure schemes) until we are in a position to engage directly through public consultation.
press release - Tuesday 21st May 2019
On Tuesday the 21st of May, Wexford County Council confirmed that Mott MacDonald Ireland Limited would be appointed the contract engineering consultants for the Oilgate to Rosslare Harbour Scheme. Mott MacDonald will be the technical advisors to assist the development through feasibility, option selection, design, economic appraisal and planning.
Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council, Councillor Keith Doyle, welcomed the announcement of the advancement of this major road scheme which will complete the motorway connection to Rosslare Europort.
This scheme comprises of a 33km stretch of new motorway which will link Rosslare with Cork and Waterford via the N25 and Dublin via the M11. The N11 and the N25 form part of the European Route known as the E01, which starts at Larne, Co. Antrim and ends at Rosslare Europort, Co. Wexford. This route forms a direct link between mainland Europe and the Island of Ireland and will be a vital strategic part of Brexit negotiations between the European Union and United Kingdom. With the opening of the M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy motorway scheme in July 2019, the proposed route from Oilgate to Rosslare Harbour will be the only section of the E01 route not to dual carriageway/motorway standard. This project is in line with both the National and Local Development Plans. A 300m wide corridor is currently in place for the scheme following the publication of a route selection report in 2011.
The chief executive of Wexford County Council, Tom Enright stated that the appointment of consultants marks a huge milestone in the project delivery.
Over the next year it is proposed that more studies are completed as part of the project and public information and consultations can be anticipated for the end of 2019 and start of 2020.
The council is aware that the local residents are anxious to know what the definite route will be for the Oilgate to Rosslare Harbour Scheme, as well as a timeline for the planning and construction process. When a final route corridor is chosen in 2020, the defined route can then be developed through design and environmental assessment in 2021. This will then be submitted to An Bord Pleanála for statuary planning approval (Compulsory Purchase Order and Environmental Impact Assessment) in 2022 and continue through the planning processes by the end of 2022. As the scheme is still an at early stage of development it is not possible to put out a definite time frame for the project, but this contract signing is a huge leap toward the delivery of this vital project
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