A Chara - I live in Meath and face a regular commute of two hours to Dublin each morning. Decisions such as routing the M3 through Tara make living in Meath and working in Dublin unbearable. The last thing commuters needed last week was the confirmation of a route destined for court and interminable delays. But this is precisely what has happened, and now the delivery date of the M3 is uncertain.
Too often commuter interests are not being considered. Aside from route delays, the M3 is to be tolled twice each way, costing commuters up to €2,500 a year. And the proposed Dunboyne rail extension is located after the second toll. Commuters will have to pay for tolls, parking charges and train tickets to use this facility.
The Chambers of Commerce and our politicians are letting Meath commuters down. Meath can only suffer as a result of all of these abysmal planning decisions. - Is mise,
PROINSIAS MAC FHEARGHUSA, Athlumney, Navan, Co Meath.
Madam, - Prof Cooney's review of archaeological management options for the M3 in the Tara-Skryne Valley (Opinion, May 16th) contains a dangerous fallacy. He implies that an extensive planning process is proof in itself that planning approval and all that precedes it have been properly undertaken.
There is respectable counter-argument, which the discourse of road construction and national development planning successfully suppresses. That discourse is assisted by appeasing commentaries like Prof Cooney's. Similarly, the diversion of the media spotlight away from process and on to archaeology has distracted attention from where the real issue lies.
How ironic that those who have argued extensively for the sanctity of the Tara/Skryne Valley may actually have got in the way. - Yours, etc,
MARTIN KAY, Lough Gur, Kilmallock, Co Limerick.
Madam, - I find it incredible that Meath's politicians and Chambers of Commerce are so supportive of a twice-tolled M3 through Tara.
A comparison with Dublin's other commuter belt county of Kildare would suggest that a twice-tolled M3 will actually prove anti-commercial for Meath.
Navan will have two tolls whilst Naas has none. Naas has rail whilst Navan doesn't. What company would choose to base itself in Navan, or indeed Meath under these circumstances?
It is time for Meath to wake up and realise what is happening. - Yours, etc,
SIOBHÁN FLOODY, Celbridge, Co. Kildare.
Madam, - Last Saturday evening, I overheard a group of Llanelli Scarlets rugby supporters talking about how "beautiful" this country is; should they return from Wales in the future Ireland will be less so thanks to the myopia of Dick Roche.
And as they travel back via Dún Laoghaire, they may be advised to cast a long look around that town before its incremental despoliation. - Yours, etc,
PATRICK DOWLING, Mulgrave St, Dún Laoghaire.