Residents in the dark over Springfield tunnel

Residents in the Springfield area of Mullingar are concerned over what they feel are ongoing delays to the opening of Springfield Tunnel, which links houses in the area with the centre of Mullingar town.Recently, the Westmeath Examiner was contacted by a resident of Springfield, who expressed her concerns over what she called "repeated delays" to the opening of the tunnel.The resident said that "three deadlines had been missed", and that the last opening date which she had been informed of was Friday, February 19; but the tunnel remained unopened as of Friday last, February 26.At last week's meeting of Mullingar Town Council, Fine Gael's Cllr. Peter Burke raised the issue with George Lambden, the county council's Mullingar Area Director of Services.Cllr. Burke said that he had been previous advised that the tunnel would open on the week beginning Monday, February 22.But the Director told him that a contractor attached to the project is "experiencing difficulties" in confirming the delivery of the tunnel's light fittings from his supplier in the United Kingdom."The Council will await confirmation from the contractor of delivery of these light fittings and a completion date for the Springfield Tunnel," Mr. Lambden said.Cllr. Burke said that it "isn't acceptable" that the tunnel hasn't opened to the public. He said that the delay is creating hardship for vulnerable people in the community, particularly the elderly."If it was the Channel Tunnel, you could understand there being a delay," he quipped.But Mr. Lambden said that the delivery of the new tunnel at Springfield is part of the Mullingar Main Drainage Works, which is not due for completion until the end of March."So we're not really behind with delivery," he explained. "We're just experiencing some difficulties with the lights."I'm confident that it will be open in the next few weeks."