Drivers in fear at deadly road junction
NORTH CORK JUNCTION ‘ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS IN THE COUNTRY’
THE Ballymacquirke cross junction with the N72 main road near Kanturk is so dangerous that local drivers are in fear every time they use it.
The junction is listed by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) as one of Cork’s top 15 most accident-prone sites. However, nothing has yet been done to make the junction safer for drivers.
Councillor Bernard Moynihan (FF) this week described the junction as one of the most dangerous in the country and appealed for urgent action, suggesting a roundabout as a possible solution.
“I do not know if a roundabout is feasible there... but, what I do know is that there is some kind of safety plan needed at that junction... There must be something that can be done because this is a serious accident waiting to happen,” he said.
Cllr Timmy Collins (Ind) agreed that the junction was “one of the most dangerous in Munster, if not the whole country” and said the idea of putting a roundabout there had been previously mooted by the council, but was deemed unfeasible by the former National Roads Authority.
“I know many people who are in fear every time they use the junction because of the speed of the vehicles travelling on the N72. A car can be down on top of you before you know it,” he added.
Cllr John Paul O’Shea (Ind) said the council had previously surveyed the site, but the NRA did not accept their recommendation for a roundabout. He said he hoped the TII’s designation of the junction as a high accident location would pave the way for some action.
A COUNTY councillor has called for urgent action to be taken to address motorist safety at a notorious road junction in north Cork which has been described as being ‘one of the most dangerous in the country.’
Cllr Bernard Moynihan (FF) requested that a comprehensive report be undertaken to improve safety at the Ballymaquirke Cross near Kanturk on the busy N72 main road, with a view to the possibility of installing a roundabout at the “highly dangerous” junction.
“There is a huge volume of traffic using the junction everyday,” he told members of the council Kanturk/Mallow district committee.
“I do not know if a roundabout is feasible there, I will be guided by council engineers on that. But, what I do know is that there is some kind of safety plan needed at that junction, be it slip roads or some kind of traffic calming measure. There must be something that can be done, because this is a serious accident waiting to happen,” he said.
Seconding the motion Cllr Timmy Collins (Ind) said he believed the junction was “one of the most dangerous in Munster, if not the whole country”.
He said the idea of putting a roundabout there had been previously mooted by the council, but was deemed unfeasible by the then National Roads Authority (NRA).
“If that is the case, then the least we should do is remove the four corners to provide a better view for motorists coming from the junction onto the N72. When the grass is overgrown, drivers are completely blind,” said Cllr Collins.
“I know many people who are in fear every time they use the junction because of the speed of the vehicles travelling on the N72. A car can be down on top of you before you know it.”
In a report given to the committee senior council engineer Bob O’Shea said that Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), the body that replaced the NRA, had identified the junction as being among 15 sites in Cork branded as being ‘ high accident locations’.
“TII has requested Cork County Council to review these sites and prepare a solution report for each of them, including design options and cost estimates. The National Roads Office is preparing these reports at present and liaising with TII,” wrote Mr O’Shea.
Cllr John Paul O’Shea (Ind) once again pointed out that the council had previously surveyed the site, but the NRA did not accept their recommendation for a roundabout. He said he hoped the TII’s designation of the junction as a high accident location would pave the way for some action.
“Regardless of what action is taken a land acquisition process will be needed. I think this will be a long process, so we need to get working on it now,” he said.
“We need to know what is the time-frame for the preparation of the reports into the 15 sites and more importantly what the recommendations will be. In the meantime, money must also be made available to immediately address the appalling state of the road surface leading to the junction from Kanturk,” added Cllr O’Shea.
Cllr Collins said that he believed the only answer was a roundabout and that land acquisition for that would not prove to be a problem.
“The local landowners use the junction each day and are only too aware of how dangerous it is,” he said.
“The key to this whole issue is making sure that we keep pressure on TII and we do not like their answer, heap on more pressure until this is properly resolved once and for all.”
Senior council engineer Jim Moloney said he would liaise with the National Roads Office and keep the committee informed on progress.