Fermoy traffic management study ‘imminent’
New traffic management plans for Fermoy town are understood to be in the works, with a key element being a new signalised junction for Kent Bridge.
A Cork County Council spokesperson recently confirmed to The Avondhu that a future signalised junction at the bridge is ‘at design stage’.
Proposals for this junction falls under the National Roads Design Office and Transport Infrastructure Ireland.
“It is likely to fall under a greater scheme encompassing the Mallow Road Junction and down to and including Pearse Square. It will have a Part VIII planning application (or Section 38) and full public consultation,” the spokesperson said.
Recently, an Active Travel investment saw €100,000 allocated for a new signalised junction at Kent Bridge, to help pedestrians cross the bridge from quay-toquay.
Traffic volumes in Fermoy have also been a key point of discussion recently in the town, with a number of building projects set to come on stream.
A solution to the issue of traffic in the town was sought at last month’s Fermoy Municipal District Meeting as local councillor Noel McCarthy tabled a motion asking whether the council has considered the need or feasibility of a relief road for the town in light of such developments.
ASSESSMENT ‘IMMINENT’
In response to an enquiry issued by The Avondhu, a spokesperson for Cork County Council stated that the last time a traffic study was carried out by the council in Fermoy town was 15 years ago.
“The Fermoy Traffic Management study of 2007 is the historic blueprint for traffic in the town. Whilst the study is 15 years old, the study outlined traffic growth figures within the planned study area,” the spokesperson said.
According to the spokesperson, a new mobility study and Area Based Transport Assessment for the town ‘is imminent’ and has confirmed funding from the National Transport Authority.
When asked whether discussions are held between the Cork County Council and DirectRoute, the operators of the M8
Toll at Corrin, in relation to traffic in Fermoy, the spokesperson noted that while they engage in relation to maintenance operations and temporary diversions, the Council’s local roads operations are not involved in their discussions with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).
“Toll operators, Direct Route, are independent of Cork County Council and are under contract from the TII as PPP operators of a section of the M8. Whilst Cork County Council undertakes various local discussions with Direct Route whilst they are undertaking M8 maintenance operations and need to use the regional road network as temporary diversions, the Council’s local road operations are not party to their discussions with the TII,” the spokesperson said.