Second Phase of Louth Ring Road Set to Begin Next Spring Following €5.6M Land Deal
Ardee News and Sport — Second Phase of Louth Ring Road Set to Begin Next Spring Following €5.6M Land Deal
The second phase of the Port Area Northern Cross Route (PANCR) is set to begin construction next spring, following Louth County Council’s approval of a €5.6 million land deal with developer Murphy Homes. The 14-hectare site will play a key role in the development, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2025, easing traffic congestion around Crosslanes and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital while paving the way for hundreds of new homes.
Once complete, the PANCR will link the M1 motorway to Drogheda Port, significantly reducing the number of heavy goods vehicles passing through the town centre. The project will also open vast tracts of agricultural land for future housing development.
While the second phase has cleared a major hurdle, the third phase of the project is anticipated to be more complex, as it will involve crossing the Dublin-Belfast railway line at Commons. Talks with Irish Rail have already begun, with the possibility that Irish Rail may take on the responsibility for constructing the section that crosses the tracks.
The project’s progress has reignited calls from Louth councillors for a new train station in the northern part of Drogheda. Cathaoirleach Kevin Callan has proposed leading a cross-party effort to push government ministers, the National Transport Authority (NTA), and Irish Rail to establish a Drogheda North Train Station where the rail line intersects with the Northern Cross Route.
In addition to the Drogheda North station proposal, the group will continue lobbying for the reopening of Dunleer train station, which could serve the 27,000 people who live within 10km of the site.