Writes Ciaran Dineen
A call has been made on Cork County Council by Councillor Jack White (FG), to conduct a traffic survey in Carrigaline to highlight the impact that Pottery Road (Western Relief Road) has already had on improving traffic flow within the town.
Five years after the then County Mayor and current local Councillor Seámus McGrath (FF), signed off on funding for the project, the relief road opened at the beginning of October in a bid to relieve chronic traffic congestion that has blighted the town centre of Carrigaline for a number of years and it is believed to already be having a hugely positive effect.
In his request calling for a traffic survey to be conducted, Cllr White stated in County Hall at the recent Municipal District (MD) meeting, “the response on the ground is that it has been hugely positive and there is universal support and enthusiasm, from motorists but equally importantly from pedestrians and cyclists. The data from the study will be positive and will show the effect in real terms on the impact it has had on traffic flow in Carrigaline. I ask that an ongoing eye be kept on the data and request that it is made available to us.”
Cllr McGrath, in support of the motion, suggested that within “hours of opening” the impact of the relief road had been “tremendous” and that it had exceeded most people’s expectation. The former Mayor did however add one word of caution; suggesting that a potential knock-on effect has been that some motorists have come to the conclusion that because Main Street is now much freer in terms of traffic, that it has become an attractive method of movement in Carrigaline.
Cllr McGrath stated that this was not to be promoted, considering the long-term plans for Main Street and suggested that careful planning and design in the immediate future must be taken into account. The fundamental aim of the relief was to remove as much traffic from Main Street as possible to make the centre of the Village a more attractive place for local residents to linger and spend time in, potentially resulting in boosting the local economy and reducing vacancy in the heart of the town.
In response to Cllr White’s motion, the Council acknowledged the positive impact created by the new relief road, but stated that future traffic studies will only be conducted to coincide with the future implementation of proposals from Carrigaline TPREP.
Concern Over Site Construction Debris On Mill Road
Within Cllr White’s motion relating to Pottery Road, Cllr Michael Paul Murtagh (FG) also asked the area office to be made aware of an issue that has arisen since the opening of the road. Mill Road, which is the section of the new carriageway which loops around Carrigaline United AFC soccer club, has been subject to considerable site construction debris washing over the road surface, particularly in light of recent heavy rainfall. Currently, Ruden Homes are in the process of constructing a new housing development and over the course of the last 2 weeks a lot of mud has traversed across the road from the site and spilled onto Mill Road.
Cllr Murtagh, speaking in the Council chambers said, “it is quite dangerous for motorcyclists in particular and I think we need to write to the site manager to quickly get it sorted, particularly with the poor weather we’re having.”
In response, Senior Engineer, Alan Cogan, informed Cllr Murtagh that he had already put a call to the area engineers to sort the matter, which he agreed needed to be sorted as soon as possible
In the days following the meeting, a concern was raised by visually impaired pedestrians about why the cycle lane on Pottery Road is located inside the footpath, something that is posing a hazard. Cllr’s White & McGrath have sought an answer from the Roads Directorate.