Galway Bay FM News Archives
Spanish firm offers to build motorway from Gort to Tuam
Date Published: 11-May-2011
By Declan Tierney
The much delayed Gort to Tuam motorway has been thrown a lifeline – a Spanish based consortium has approached the National Roads Authority expressing an interest in constructing the 57 kilometre stretch and work could commence by the end of the year.
It has been learned by The Connacht Tribune that it is the same building company that built the M6 motorway from Galway to Ballinasloe which was opened in early 2010.
FCC Construction, which has its base in Madrid, have written to the National Roads Authority expressing an interest in constructing the M17/M18 motorway along with the Tuam bypass.
Last autumn the NRA announced that the consortium of BAM Beatty Balfour were the preferred consortium to construct the motorway from Gort to Tuam but it emerged that finance became a major issue and the signing of contracts was delayed on no fewer than six occasions.
It is understood that the financial backers were ‘jittery’ about investing in a country with a sovereign debt and were worried about being paid back for the project over a 20 year period.
The National Roads Authority then spoke to two other consortia who had tendered for the project, which will cost in the region of €500 million. But both of these are understood to have difficulty raising the finance for the project.
Much to the relief of the NRA, they received correspondence from FCC Construction offering to build the motorway – this company has made €1 billion in profits over the past year from lucrative capital projects across Europe.
But before any contracts can be signed with FCC, the NRA must put the M17/M18 motorway project out to tender again and seek expressions of interest from construction companies. In the current economic climate, the Spanish company are likely to be the only respondents.
.Already, the Government has spent in the region of €120 million on the motorway project, with the vast majority of this going on the compulsory acquisition of lands along the route.
Read more in today’s Connacht Tribune
Date Published: 08-May-2013
Gardai are appealing for witnesses following a single vehicle crash at the Portumna bridge this morning.
The road from Nenagh to Loughrea reopened shortly after 11 this morning following the completion of a technical exam.
Four men were travelling in a van when they hit the Portumna bridge around 6:30 this morning.
Gardaí, ambulance and two units of Portumna fire services rushed to the scene, and one of the men was taken to Portiuncula hospital in Ballinasloe.
He is being treated for head injuries, which have been described by Gardaí as serious.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Portumna Garda station on 09-097-42060
Date Published: 10-May-2013
GMIT is to honour seven outstanding individuals including President Michael D Higgins with Honorary Fellowships at a special ceremony later this month.
It’s the first time in the 40 year history of the Institute the Governing Body of GMIT has decided to award honorary fellowships.
The GMIT Honorary Fellowships will be conferred at the g Hotel in the city this day two weeks Friday 24 May at 2.30pm in front of 200 invited guests.
Date Published: 13-May-2013
Galway commuters are holding their breath as there has been a potential breakthrough in the Bus Eireann dispute, as both sides have agreed to talks at the Labour Relations Commission.
The LRC intervened this afternoon, on day two of strike action that has seen 95 per cent of bus services disrupted across the country.
The LRC’s Director of Conciliation Services, Kevin Foley, says the National Bus and Rail Union and the company have agreed to meet for mediated talks at 8 this evening.
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