Ritchie Battles For Narrow Water Bridge

SDLP Leader and South Down MP has pressed the Republic’s Transport Minister Leo Varadkar to put Narrow Water Bridge on a funding reserve list and to proceed with the project as soon as monies become available. Speaking after leading a party delegation, including South Down MLA Karen McKevitt, to meet Mr Varadkar in Dublin, Ms Ritchie said,xa0“We had a very positive meeting the Minister whereby we made a strong case for the building of Narrow Water Bridge highlighting the extensive cross-border benefits of the project and the massive boost it would provide to our economy. “The SDLP urged the Transport Minister to place this scheme at the top of a priority reserve list and to proceed with it as soon as money becomes available. “Any sensible growth strategy for South Down, South Armagh and Louth must have tourism at its heart and thexa0bridge project is and will continue to be absolutely pivotal. “We live in hard times but in thexa0general scale of public spending the proposed investment was modest, given the medium and long-term payback which imaginative development would make possible. “I believe that the Transport Minister underestimated the huge economic benefits that the bridge could bring and are pleased with his response to our representation. We are hopeful that this project will not be scrapped and could still go ahead.”]]>