Failure to invest in the N11 will lead to more congestion, according to Fianna Fail.

TD for Wicklow Stephen Donnelly said vital works could not be carried out without investment from Transport Minister Shane Ross.

He also said said the situation is "getting worse".

He said: "In April 2017, the TII found that continued failure to invest in the N11 would result in far more than increased congestion, it would impact on the development of the county. Late last year, we saw this become a reality, as the development of 3,000 homes at old Fassaroe was blocked. The biggest stumbling block was congestion on the N11.

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"The Minister has committed to a prioritisation exercise, which would see works such as those needed for the N11 ranked in order of priority. I am calling on him to consider not just congestion, but also the knock on impact that these projects would have. Wicklow, in particular the south and west of the county, are not well served by public transport.

"Already, I am aware that it will not be possible to alleviate the congestion issues experienced by commuter rail services as the additional carriages needed will not be constructed in the time needed. The latest estimate for Luas services in the north of the country is for it to begin in 2035. Minister Ross must take into account Wicklow’s high population growth, its reduced public transport offering, and the impact on commuters lives across Wicklow within his prioritisation exercise."

(CD/MH)