Northern Ireland

Road safety campaigners welcome application for major new bypass of Slane village

Road safety campaigners in Slane village, Co Meath, have welcomed proposals for a new traffic bypass after 23 people have died on the roads since a previous application was rejected in 2012. Picture: Bypass Slane, Ireland.
Road safety campaigners in Slane village, Co Meath, have welcomed proposals for a new traffic bypass after 23 people have died on the roads since a previous application was rejected in 2012. Picture: Bypass Slane, Ireland.
By Allan Preston

A major new planning application has been submitted to create a traffic bypass in Slane, Co Meath.

The scenic village located on the N2 is famous for the concerts at Slane Castle, but for many locals it has become a bottleneck for traffic between Derry and Dublin that increases the risk of accidents.

It is estimated that around 17,000 vehicles pass through the village every day from the N2 and N51 routes, including 2,800 heavy goods vehicles.

A previous bypass application was rejected 12 years ago, but the new 3.5km proposal includes a dual carriageway and a 258-metre bridge crossing the Boyne River.

Aiming to improve traffic levels, air quality, vibration emissions and traffic noise – public spaces around the village would also be enhanced as well as dedicated walking and cycling routes to enhance the village centre.

A mockup picture of a bridge over the Boyne River that would form part of a 3.5km bypass of Slane village.
A mockup picture of a bridge over the Boyne River that would form part of a 3.5km bypass of Slane village.

Read more

'Disturbing' rise in road deaths across island of Ireland

Toll charges to increase across ten routes in Republic from New Year's Day

Huge céad míle fáilte at Slane for Harry as popstar turns on the style as Gaeilge

According to Meath County Council, the works are “essential to achieve a safe, reliable and sustainable multi-modal transport network” to benefit the village as well as wider concerns of sustainable land use, transport and climate mitigation.

A mockup picture of how the Slane bypass would also develop the village, including increased walkways and cycle paths.
A mockup picture of how the Slane bypass would also develop the village, including increased walkways and cycle paths.

The Bypass Slane Campaign group said that 23 people have been killed on roads around the village since the last bypass application was rejected in 2012.

In a statement, they said: “We hope that this new application by Meath County Council will stand up to the robust scrutiny that will most definitely come, from sections both inside and outside of our community, and that they will finally deliver this desperately needed piece of infrastructure for Slane.”

After residents have lived with “intolerable danger of heavy traffic and put up with the degradation of our village environment,” the group said they were hopeful it would be granted approval.

Road safety campaigners in Slane village, Co Meath, have welcomed proposals for a new traffic bypass after 23 people have died on the roads since a previous application was rejected in 2012. Picture: Bypass Slane, Ireland.
Road safety campaigners in Slane village, Co Meath, have welcomed proposals for a new traffic bypass after 23 people have died on the roads since a previous application was rejected in 2012. Picture: Bypass Slane, Ireland.

The 2012 application was rejected by An Bord Pleanála, stating the bypass would have been too close to the World Heritage site of Brú na Bóinne.

Meath County Council say this has been accounted for in the new proposal as well as taking into account changes in environmental legislation.

The plan would also mean the compulsory purchase of some lands, with the property owners notified.

A 2012 application for a Slane bypass was rejected as it was considered too close to the Brú na Bóinne (Newgrange and Knowth) World Heritage Site. Picture, Heritage Ireland.
A 2012 application for a Slane bypass was rejected as it was considered too close to the Brú na Bóinne (Newgrange and Knowth) World Heritage Site. Picture, Heritage Ireland.