No completion date has been set for the M11/N11 improvement work scheme in Co Wicklow, according to the Labour Party (Ireland).

Labour's Dáil Candidate for Wicklow, Jack O'Connor, said he is "deeply disappointed and really concerned" over the "snail's pace" of progress since the M11/N11 Corridor Study Report was published in April last year.

Despite confirmations from Transport Infrastructure Ireland that the scheme has been included amongst future road projects in 2018, as well as €300,000 allocated to procure consultants for the preparation of the preliminary works, enquiries made to Wicklow County Council have revealed the council cannot provide a completion date for the entire project.

Mr O'Connor said: "This is another cause of concern as Wicklow people currently suffering from commuter misery can see no light at the end of the tunnel.

"The Wicklow Labour Party believes that there is no 'Roads Only' solution to traffic congestion. The solution must take an integrated approach which includes rail, bus and cycle options. For example, we have all heard complaints from train users that the buses outside the Bray railway station often departs just as the DART gets in and they are forced to wait, often in the rain and dark, for the next bus.

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"There seems to be no joined-up thinking between Dublin Bus and Irish Rail. It has to be acknowledged that the National Transport Authority announced recently it intends to provide a Bus Rapid Transit from Bray to the City Centre but again we are in the dark as to when this will be done with the NTA saying that the new schemes will be completed by 2027."

Continuing, Mr O'Connor said the party is "very concerned on the impact that traffic congestion is having on families in County Wicklow".

"The stress that commuters suffer when they are stuck in traffic jams every morning and evening puts a huge toll on their physical and mental health," he said.

"Parents with young families have to put their children into creches very early in the morning until late in the evening because of their long commute to work. The impact this has on family life is enormous and Wicklow residents should be given a clear picture of what the proposed improvements entail, when the works will commence, what impact these works will have on commuters, and, most importantly, when the scheme will be finished."

An online petition has now been launched by the Wicklow Labour Party calling for remedial works as recommended in the M11/N11 Corridor Study Report to be carried out immediately.

Mr O'Connor concluded: "I am urging people to sign the petition to ensure that there will be no undue delays with the progression of the M11/N11 improvement project and that Government funding is secured for each part of the process."

To sign the petition, visit here.

(LM/MH)