M17/M18 - Gort to Tuam [open to traffic]

j123galway · 14-05-2013 4:26pm

I sent an email to the NRA asking for an update and this was the information they provided. Its only my opinion that it could still fall through but the need to have debt funding arranged would indicate it is by no means certain?

antoobrien · 14-05-2013 4:38pm

j123galway wrote: »

I sent an email to the NRA asking for an update and this was the information they provided. Its only my opinion that it could still fall through but the need to have debt funding arranged would indicate it is by no means certain?

What exactly did the NRA say and how does it tally with the governments assertion that construction is expected to start this year

j123galway · 14-05-2013 4:48pm

I simply emailed info@nra.ie

antoobrien · 14-05-2013 4:49pm

j123galway wrote: »

I simply emailed info@nra.ie

Good, what did they say?

j123galway · 14-05-2013 5:07pm

They anticipate that the contract for the scheme could be signed next year, provided debt funding can be arranged

tonc76 · 14-05-2013 5:09pm

j123galway wrote: »

They anticipate that the contract for the scheme could be signed next year, provided debt funding can be arranged

Canyou copy and paste the reply leaving out your name and the senders?

f2 · 15-05-2013 8:04pm

Reported on Galway Bay FM today NRA in commerical discussion with balfour beatty over M17/18 acording to Vadakar

black47 · 15-05-2013 10:25pm

f2 wrote: »

Reported on Galway Bay FM today NRA in commerical discussion with balfour beatty over M17/18 acording to Vadakar

Article below for what it's worth. I'm getting a good feeling about it. I don't know why.

NRA in discussions over contract for Gort to Tuam motorway

May 15, 2013 - 6:03pm
NRA in discussions over contract for Gort to Tuam motorway

The National Roads Authority is asking the preferred bidder for the Gort to Tuam motorway to stand over the bid it submitted for the project some years ago.
Transport Minister Leo Varadkar has confirmed a commercial discussion is now taking place between the two parties.
Around 2 weeks ago, the European Investment bank announced it had agreed in principal to fund the M17/18 project.
It's one of three public private partnerships which have been given the assurance, all of which were part of the Government's stimulus package announced last year.
Speaking in the Daíl, Leo Varadakar would not be drawn on time-frames but said the Government plans to get the project completed soon.

Quickelles · 15-05-2013 11:52pm

black47 wrote: »

Article below for what it's worth. I'm getting a good feeling about it. I don't know why.

Let's hope your feelings are good!

j123galway · 16-05-2013 9:47am

Email from NRA:

The M17/M18 Gort to Tuam scheme is included in a Public Private Partnership programme announced by Government as part of an Infrastructure Stimulus Plan in 2012 and in this context, the Authority received confirmation from the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport that additional funding required to cover the Authority’s direct procurement costs will be provided to the Authority to progress the scheme to contract award.

This confirmation has enabled the Authority to recommence dialogue with the Preferred Bidder, Direct Route Consortium. It is anticipated that the contract for the scheme could be signed next year, provided debt funding can be arranged.

Quickelles · 16-05-2013 9:29pm

j123galway wrote: »

It is anticipated that the contract for the scheme could be signed next year, provided debt funding can be arranged.

"Next year" and "provided" are not very encouraging qualifications.

antoobrien · 17-05-2013 8:40am

Quickelles wrote: »

"Next year" and "provided" are not very encouraging qualifications.

I'd take that NRA "email" with a pinch of salt because the NRA are now in discussions with BAM and Directroute (roadbridge) were never the preferred bidder.

antoobrien · 17-05-2013 2:10pm

Here are the questions submitted to the the Minister on Wednesday regarding the M17/18 project and the answers given.

Full transcript of questions related to road activity: http://www.kildarestreet.com/debates...013-05-15a.497

Paul Connaughton

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in view of the recent contract signing for the N11/Newlands Cross Public Private Partnership, if he will provide an update on the M17/M18 Gort to Tuam road project, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter

Minister

The M17-M18 PPP scheme is one of the priority projects identified for inclusion in the first phase of the programme. The NRA is responsible for implementation of the project, and following the contract signing for the N11 Newlands Cross PPP, the NRA is in discussion with the preferred bidder for the M17-M18 project with a view to progressing it.

Sean Kyne

I thank the Minister for his reply. Since the announcement of the stimulus plan, we have waited for the N11-Newlands Cross project to get the go-ahead. That has now happened.

The Minister stated that negotiations are under way with the preferred bidder on the M17-M18 project. How far along are they and when does the Minister expect them to conclude? It is a key infrastructural project for Galway and the west. Not only would it create construction jobs; it would also create jobs in the entire region, which is starved of them currently. When will we see contracts signed?

Minister (emphasis added)

I am loth to put a date on it. In respect of the N11-Newlands Cross project, I kept predicting that it would happen in a few months' time, but it did not. On the day it happened, I did not believe that it actually would. In fact, I had a €5 bet with my Secretary General, which he won on the day. I do not want to apply a timeframe. The NRA is handling this commercial discussion on behalf of the Government. It has asked the preferred bidder whether the latter will stand over the price quoted some years ago. If so, it will be a step forward. If not, the second bidder must be approached. This is how matters stand. As much as my involvement permits, I want the project to happen as quickly as possible.

mydiscworld · 17-05-2013 3:20pm

I'd imagine the price quoted by preferred bidder back then will at best need tweaking, if that's allowed per the PPP rules.

If major changes needed to the tender price & conditions based on current market conditions, they may need to re-tender the whole thing

spacetweek · 17-05-2013 4:12pm

I'm a tad disturbed the minister for transport was betting against a transport project getting underway!

f2 · 18-05-2013 5:42pm

I would imagine costs should have fallen since the original tender, certainly labour would have, if they are interested in building the M17 there should be no problem!

Quickelles · 19-05-2013 1:47pm

f2 wrote: »

I would imagine costs should have fallen since the original tender, certainly labour would have, if they are interested in building the M17 there should be no problem!

Except the NRA are probably insisting on a significant reduction. I certainly would be........

antoobrien · 20-05-2013 9:42am

spacetweek wrote: »

I'm a tad disturbed the minister for transport was betting against a transport project getting underway!

In fairness to leo if you read the rest of the comment he had been predicting it for a while. It looks like he got cynical about it.

Hopefully he'll put another few fivers on before christmas and lose.

Quickelles · 29-05-2013 9:03am

Drove the length of the N11 section in both directions yesterday in glorious weather.

No sign of any activity whatsoever.

Not lookin' good to complete this in 24 months if they refuse to start it!

antoobrien · 05-06-2013 4:49pm

Not sure if this is news or a restatement of what we already know using different language, but the project got a mention during the briefing on the new proposals for new infrastructural investment when an update on the existing projects was also given.

The final negotiations on Financial close for the Gort-Tuam N17/N18 are underway.

It might be (probably is) nothing but it's the first time I've seen/heard a reference to final negotiations in relation to this project.

f2 · 05-06-2013 5:48pm

Well at least its a positive reference

Quickelles · 05-06-2013 7:56pm

antoobrien wrote: »

Not sure if this is news or a restatement of what we already know using different language, but the project got a mention

That's the 16th time the go-ahead was announced; based on NX/N11 just two more and it might actually be starting....:rolleyes:

antoobrien · 06-06-2013 8:54am

Quickelles wrote: »

That's the 16th time the go-ahead was announced; based on NX/N11 just two more and it might actually be starting....:rolleyes:

It's not a "go-ahead", so stop misrepresenting information as that which it is clearly not.

Quickelles · 06-06-2013 7:30pm

antoobrien wrote: »

It's not a "go-ahead", so stop misrepresenting information as that which it is clearly not.

"Final negotiations" sounds pretty like a go-ahead.

Jayuu · 06-06-2013 10:31pm

No they don't. They sound like "final negotiations". You've just decided that they sound like a "go ahead". But clearly it's not. There's no mention of dates or even when the negotiations will be complete.

jenningso · 06-06-2013 10:43pm

Jayuu wrote: »

No they don't. They sound like "final negotiations". You've just decided that they sound like a "go ahead". But clearly it's not. There's no mention of dates or even when the negotiations will be complete.

Calm down, calm down! It's nearly there lads, they'll make as much noise about it as they can, repeating good news repeatedly is what they're at, when contracts are finally signed they'll be plenty more spin to get ye in a twist!

serfboard · 03-07-2013 1:15pm

Depressing news from the Connacht Tribune:

The Connacht Tribune wrote:

It could be well into 2018 before the Gort to Tuam motorway is built as there is confirmation that the contracts for the €550 million project will not be signed until well into next year.
...
Senior officials within the National Roads Authority have confirmed to The Connacht Tribune that [...] contracts for the project would not be signed this side of Christmas.

In fact they could not say which part of 2014 the contracts would be signed as they were waiting on Government approval to proceed to the next step in the process.

The motorway will be constructed by the consortium known as Direct Route which is made up of a number of Irish companies including Lagan, Roadbridge and Sisk ...

More here.

Frank Black · 03-07-2013 1:35pm

serfboard wrote: »

Depressing news from the Connacht Tribune:

More here.

How is there confirmation that the contracts won't be signed until "well into next year" if "they could not say which part of 2014 the contracts would be signed"?

Don't read the Connaght Trib, but that's pretty shoddy reporting.

serfboard · 03-07-2013 1:54pm

Frank Black wrote: »

How is there confirmation that the contracts won't be signed until "well into next year" if "they could not say which part of 2014 the contracts would be signed"?

Fair enough, but the news is that it won't be signed before Christmas.

The Connacht Tribune wrote:

Senior officials within the National Roads Authority have confirmed to The Connacht Tribune that, despite what one Galway TD said last week, that contracts for the project would not be signed this side of Christmas.

So, a rebuff either from the Trib or the NRA to the TD.

mydiscworld · 17-07-2013 10:54am

Fred Barry, CEO of National Roads Authority, is in front of Oireachtas Committee this morning.

http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/watchlisten/live-mediaplayer/

Committee Room 1

He has just spoken on many routes, inc. Gort to Tuam. Said the funding from Gov for the road is in place. They are waiting on investment from other parties such as foreign banks to get the project going.

The PPP preferred tender is in place but funding from 3rd parties is required. Irish banks, while contributing, cannot provide enough funding and foreign banks are being sought. This should be known by Sep/Oct.

Failing that, the National Pension Reserve Fund can be used, pending legislation to all the NPRF to provide such a function.

He did not rule out end of 2013 start but looked unlikely unless the funding could be obtained from foreign banks.

M17/M18 - Gort to Tuam [open to traffic]

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