While it has been widely reported that the North Quays pedestrian bridge has been built with a section incomplete and requires fresh funding to finish, Cllr Mary Roche has explained that this is not the case and the final section will be developed, as planned, when Harcourt build a plaza to connect the bridge with the new train station.
The matter first arose when Cllr Joe Kelly raised the missing section at the Plenary meeting for May.
While Cllr Kelly sought further detail, reports on the matter provoked a significant response online, as it was assumed that the gap was an unlikely mistake in the North Quays project, the cost of which stands at over €200 million.
This reaction may in part be due to the complicated history of the North Quays. The project was originally backed by Fawaz Al Hokair in 2018, who are described as the largest franchise retailer in Saudi Arabia, before being taken over by Harcourt Developments. When the project finally broke ground in 2023, some of the original vision had been lost, most notably the infamous driverless, electric shuttle bus which was to carry passengers to and fro across the new bridge.
Backgrounded by this uncertainty, and with huge funds involved, any delay or diversion to the North Quays prompts significant criticism.
Cllr Mary Roche provided an explanation for the unfinished section after visiting the North Quays site. She outlined how the gap will be complete as part of the private stage of the project.
“I got to visit the North Quays site along with other members of the Economic Development Strategic Policy Committee (SPC). I’m happy to report that there is no ‘missing link’ as such in the new pedestrian bridge,” she explained.
“It is built as far as the northern river bank right up to the boundary of the soon to be developed, privately owned Harcourt Developments section. The same applies with the connecting public road infrastructure section entering onto the site from the Ferrybank Dual Carriageway, also built to the boundary of the commercial site,” Cllr. Roche said.
“When Harcourt take over the site and commence their work – scheduled for later this year – they will then build a basement (carpark?) and on top of that, a plaza will complete the gap to connect the bridge, through their site, to the road and railway station,” she continued.
“I will admit that from the city side it does look like the bridge doesn't span the whole river but indeed it does. I took some photos, and have marked a blue line on one where the connection will be made from the bridge to the road,” she added.
AARON KENT
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
