Traffic And Parking Becoming ‘A Nightmare’ In Crosshaven

Writes Leo McMahon

‘There’s a big issue with parking in Crosshaven, especially at weekends,’ said Cllr Audrey Buckley (FF) whose call for an engineer’s report on traffic and parking in the village was fully supported at the monthly meeting of Cork County Council’s Carrigaline Municipal District (MD).

Camden Road, which is used by double deckers on the 220 bus service, she stated, was ‘a nightmare’ with cars having to reverse, and there were also traffic problems at Point Road and Church Bay Road with cars parked along narrow sections.

Senior executive engineer Madeleine Healy, in reply, recalled a request a few years ago for a footpath link to the village but it wasn’t feasible because it would involve taking big ‘skelps’ off gardens along Camden and Church Bay Roads which would cost a fortune. She admitted that she didn’t know what the answer was in the short term.

Cllr Buckley asked that a traffic study be carried out in Crosshaven with one suggestion being a one-way system at weekends involving Camden, the crossroads and Point Road, because the village was getting busier and there was also a speeding problem, especially on Camden Road. People were looking for a solution, she added.

Ms. Healy said she would ask the roads design office to investigate but warned it could be well down the list. A one-way system wasn’t easy and would involve bye-laws.

Cathaoirleach Seamus McGrath (FF) agreed with Cllr Buckley. Noting the success of Camden Fort Meagher, he believed a footpath where possible on a now busier Camden Road would not only be good for pedestrian safety but would serve to reduce speeding along it.

Welcoming the removal of a section of wall at Church Bay Road, Cllr Buckley asked when would a footpath be installed all the way from Brightwater estate to the village, remarking that the short new section was ‘a path to nowhere’.

A full length path was a condition of a proposed new development off Church Bay Road but this could take years and the people couldn’t wait that long, she added.

Ms Healy said the council intended retro-fitting and tidying up the area with a footpath where the wall was taken down. She undertook to keep the request for a path to the village – which she agreed with – in mind, but resources were not there at present and added that there was a land ownership issue further down.

Cllr Buckley asked that her request be included in the 2020 footpaths programme.

Cllr Aidan Lombard (FG) in support, argued traffic and parking must be part of a bigger, integrated plan. A year ago, as a member of Bandon-Kinsale MD, he asked for a transportation study plan for Crosshaven, similar to that done in Kinsale. He warned against doing anything piecemeal.

Cllr Liam O’Connor (FG) congratulated the team at Camden Fort Meagher and all involved in the recent successful visit there by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of The Netherlands.

Cllr Buckley asked when the council would be replacing its local worker Danny Saunders who recently retired. Ms Healy replied that the position of new general operative would have to be advertised because the existing panel had been exhausted. It would be a few months before there was a person dedicated to Crosshaven working on the ground but in the meantime his duties would be carried out by the area office crew.

Cllr Buckley enquired about a closed-circuit TV cameras in Crosshaven village where there had been some car break-ins. The engineer replied that it had been possible to install these in Carrigaline playground because footage for viewing by Gardai could be carried out in the nearby area office. There wasn’t such a facility in Crosshaven.

Senior executive officer Jim Molloy said there was also a legal issue about access to data under EU General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and an intricate and exhaustive process at present making data available 24 hours a day to Gardai.

In reply to Cllr Buckley, who referred to long grass on verges making it difficult for pedestrians, the engineer said the council cut verges and annually sent out letters to landowners telling them of their responsibility to cut trees and hedges along public roads, especially where there was a safety issue, outside the months of March and September.

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