"Funding shortfall could scupper one-way project"

A funding shortfall could scupper the Railway Field Road project, which is vital to the return of Athlone"s one-way system, it was claimed this week. Fianna Fáil"s Cllr Kevin "Boxer" Moran has lashed out at central Government for failing to allocate funding, saying if the project didn"t progress it could hinder the development of Athlone. Cllr Moran added that while negotiations between Athlone Town Council and CIE were nearing completion, the project wouldn"t be able to start this year even if a conclusion was reached due to a lack of funds. Town Clerk John Walsh confirmed this week that negotiations between the two State bodies were at an advanced stage and said he expected the council to know where it stood on the matter in the next three or four weeks. Mr Walsh told the Westmeath Independent that the council"s negotiations with CIE were ongoing and the council was making some headway. He explained that if either party felt the negotiations weren"t progressing they could enter arbitration but at the moment this was not necessary and he expected that the council would know where it stood in a matter of weeks. Mr Walsh explained that the Railway Field Road would be funded from both Government and council monies and said the council had a substantial sum set aside for the project from development levies. However, Cllr Moran expressed extreme disappointment that no funding was made available by the Department of Transport for the project when the Minister announced funding allocations for regional road projects last week. He said that while the council might be in a position to begin the project, it would not be able to complete it, and added that the Railway Field Road was essential to the development of Athlone, whether or not the one-way system was implemented.