MAYOR SLAMS CHAOTIC TRAFFIC PLAN
The Mayor of Fermoy, Tadhg O’Donovan, has blasted a proposed traffic management plan for the town, describing the advised changes as ‘the Fermoy traffic chaos plan’.
Mayor O’Donovan made the comments as consultants presented proposals for the town which include installing a boardwalk along the bridge in Fermoy to allow the widening of the N8 Dublin – Cork road on the fixture.
Other suggestions consist of installing a roundabout at the junction of the N8 and the N72 Fermoy-Mallow road at Christ Church and reducing O’Neill Crowley Quay to one-way traffic eastbound.
The proposed changes to parking in Pearse Square, which would see cars parallel park as opposed to the current spaces that are set at an angle, was one of the issues that drew Mayor O’Donovan’s ire.
With the plan reducing parking spaces in the square and the suggestion that more cycle paths be introduced on various routes, Mayor O’Donovan said the proposals would discourage people from the town.
“We may as well pitch up three or four car parks on the outskirts of the town and tell people that Fermoy is a cycling and pedestrian zone,” Mayor O’Donovan remarked.
“We were promised more parking in the town following the introduction of the bypass and yet now we are told that more parking spaces are not wanted.”
The town mayor added that the plan failed to tackle the issue of relieving traffic on the Fermoy bridge, citing the matter as crucial to helping prospective developments in the town realising their potential. A second bridge for the town was needed, he suggested.
“Cycle lanes seem to be introduced just to fill a space here and there, they never serve a purpose. Cars could park on spaces that are instead taken up by cycle lanes. You would see a cyclist in Fermoy use these once in a blue moon” the mayor added.
Fianna Fail Councillor Frank O’Flynn added his concerns for parking in the town, and suggested that any boardwalk be extended to the Mill Island car park at this week’s Mallow/Fermoy Area meeting of Cork County Council, where Fine Gael Cllr Aileen Pyne called for measures to be taken at the junction of Richmond Hill.
Cork County Council senior engineer Aidan Weir said he was disappointed at the negative comments made by some councillors towards the proposals adding that the response from those against the plans suggested that they would prefer if the Council did nothing.
Mr Weir said that the council must work within a realistic framework when addressing the issue of traffic management and cited the town’s car parks as example of the ample parking available in Fermoy. The building of a second bridge, which would cost in the region of €20million, was unrealistic, he added.
Cllr Liam O’Doherty told The Avondhu that while he welcomed the plan in theory, Cork County Council would look ‘foolish’ to put new proposals to the public considering previous approved plans have yet to be implanted due to a lack of funding from the National Roads Authority.
Published:
Thursday 15th January 5:10pm
