The project team behind the proposed N/M20 Cork to Limerick motorway have confirmed landowners who recently received a letter outlining project details “does not confirm an intention of the project to issue a compulsory purchase order [CPO] for the acquisition of lands”.
With the cities of Cork and Limerick located 100km apart, the proposed motorway aims to reduce the travel times between Blarney, Co. Cork and Patrickswell, Co. Limerick from between 60-90 minutes, to:
- Around 40 minutes for cars and light goods vehicles (with the posted speed limit being 120 km/h);
- Around 50 minutes for heavy goods vehicles (speed limit 90 km/h);
- Around 45 minutes for coaches (speed limit 100 km/h).
From the outset of the planned motorway, the N/M20 project team have stated it “always engaged in proactive communications with householders, landowners and farmers along, adjacent to and beyond the current study corridor within which the fully designed motorway will be situated”.
The project team issued letters in June to “potentially impacted landowners” where they updated recipients on the progress of the motorway.
The project liaison team clarified that “the receipt of a letter does not confirm an intention of the project to issue a CPO for the acquisition of lands.
“The number of landowners directly impacted by the CPOs will obviously not be finalised until the full design of the project is complete.
The provision of the new M20 motorway will result in a transfer of strategic traffic from the existing N20, thereby relieving the towns and communities that currently experience severe congestion.
This reduction in traffic will bring with it a marked improvement in air quality, a reduction in noise and improved safety, the team have stated.
The final design drawings will be presented in Q4 2024, thus enabling the formal statutory and planning approval process to commence.
The project team has recommended multi-point, barrier free tolling on the new motorway, similar to that currently in place on the M50 around Dublin, which will base road toll charges on distance travelled.