Calls for public inquiry on road bridge which will ‘close’ Newry Canal

The campaign groups say the proposed bridge will prevent tall ships travelling up the canal and into the Albert Basin in Newry and they have urged Stormont to change the design. However, DfI Minister, John O’Dowd has refused to alter the proposals with blue prints for a fixed bridge across the city’s waterway now on public display. ‘Newry 2020’, set up by residents and business owners over 10 years ago, is focussed on improving the city as a tourist destination. A spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service this week: “We are calling for immediate public statements from all local political parties clarifying their position on the future of Newry Canal. “A chaotic public consultation on the Southern Relief Road project has exposed serious contradictions about local political support for a scheme that threatens to permanently close the Newry Canal, the oldest summit-level canal in Britain and Ireland and a cornerstone of Irish maritime heritage. ⁠”We want a release of all correspondence between the council and DfI regarding the Southern Relief Road. Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has previously lobbied for Shared Island Funding to change the DfI plans to include the construction of a lifting bridge. The bridge link of the Southern Relief Road will look to connect traffic from Warrenpoint harbour area to the A1 bypass for onward journeys to Belfast and Dublin. A Rostrevor Action Respecting the Environment (RARE) said: “This statement from RARE, sets out to register our deep concerns at a process. “Any proposal should also exhibit a clear understanding of planned infrastructure in the immediate area and across the island of Ireland. “It should also demonstrate a mature and well-informed recognition of the potential infrastructural collision course upon which DfI has embarked by proposing the blocking of Newry Ship Canal to ocean-going vessels with their Southern Relief Road/bridge, whilst the Irish government spends significant sums of money in building their bridge at Narrow water.

“Its opening section specifically added to ensure the access for ocean going vessels to Newry via the ship canal, which DfI proposes to block, just a few miles upstream.” The formal consultation which began last week (Jan 21) takes place for a period of six weeks (up to 4 March) at various locations in Newry as well as DfI headquarters in Belfast and Craigavon. Members of the public can make representations at the venues, or by email, letter and telephone to DfI.