Opinion

Time to revive the Narrow Water vision

The cross-border Narrow Water Bridge project, which has been stalled for the last three years, is of such enormous economic importance that every possible opportunity to secure its final approval must be fully explored.

A proposal that it should be merged with plans for the Newry City Southern Relief Road, which is already at an advanced stage of consideration, makes solid sense and represents the most effective use of the extensive EU funding which is expected to become available.

It would remove huge congestion from Newry and at the same time open up the entire south Down and north Louth region, including the Mourne Mountains and the Cooley peninsula, for a major expansion of the tourist industry.

The construction of a new bridge between the two jurisdictions would also boost the construction sector and in many ways symbolise the wider progress which has been achieved on a range of fronts over recent years.