Transforming Corks Transport

Date: 24 March 2008

Press release

24th March 2008

TRANSPORT 21 – TRANSFORMING CORK’S TRANSPORT

· €89 million for national roads in Cork City and County this year
· Area’s rail has received significant investment delivering new services, new intercity carriages, more commuter services

Transport 21, the capital investment package for transport infrastructure running from 2006 to 2015, is now delivering significant benefits to Cork City and County. The total package of Transport 21 improvements – which cover national road, rail, bus and regional airports – is the most extensive investment ever in Ireland’s transport network.

Cork City and County are already seeing the improvements that the Transport 21 package of investment is delivering, with benefits to residents, commuters, visitors and businesspeople.

Roads – New roads, and better road maintenance
National Roads Authority (NRA) projects in County Cork will receive overall funding of €85.3 million in 2008, whilst projects in Cork City will total €3.5 million. This funding means that the NRA is on target to complete the Major Inter-Urban (MIU) route linking Cork to Dublin by 2010.

The transformation of the N8 route into Cork is already well underway, and the Mitchelstown to Fermoy section of the MIU commenced construction in December 2007. This year, €60 million is being directed towards this major road development.

This year’s funding will also be directed towards road maintenance on both national primary and national secondary roads including resurfacing, bridge maintenance, pavement works, tunnel maintenance and route lighting. New road safety measures will be introduced at various locations throughout the county, including N25 Killeagh traffic calming, N22 Ballyvourney pedestrian crossing improvements and N20 junction improvements in Ballyhea.

Additionally, planning works will move forward this year on the N8 Dunkettle interchange, N20 Blarney to Mallow, N20 Mallow to Croom (Bypasses Buttevant & Charleville), N22 Ballyvourney to Macroom, N22 Cork-Northern Ring Road, N25 Cork-Southern Ring Road Interchange, N25 Carrigtwohill to Midleton, N25 Midleton to Youghal and N28 Ringaskiddy/Cork road developments.

The continued investment in the national roads programme is delivering direct benefits to local communities and to local and national businesses. These projects bring immediate beneficial results to road users in safety terms and improved quality of life. When completed, this package of works will transform how people access Cork City, and traverse Cork County, by road.

Rail – Transport 21 delivering more comfortable and frequent services, carrying more passengers
All 67 new Intercity locomotive-hauled carriages are now in service. These represent an investment of €117m. The delivery of these carriages, combined with a project to overhaul the locomotives, facilitated the introduction of ‘clock face’ timetabling – hourly departures - in both directions on the Dublin/Cork route in January 2007.

The frequency of trains on the route has doubled, and route passenger capacity has increased by over 80%. A total of 16,000 seats are now available on the route, and passenger numbers have increased by 20% when compared to the same period last year.

The Government has also approved the development of a Cork commuter rail service and new stations will be developed at Blarney, Kilbarry, and Dunkettle with a significant Park and Ride facility at Dunkettle. Work has commenced on the reopening of the line between Glounthaune and Midleton, involving investment of over €100 million, and this project is scheduled for completion in 2009.

Buses – New buses, new routes, and ‘joined-up’ services
The introduction of two new bus services in Cork City this year will bring the total number of Cork City services to 13. The new ‘10A’ will complement the existing No 10 service to Mahon Point, taking a different route via Boreenmanna Road to serve more communities and customers. Customers in Rochestown will also benefit from a new route with the introduction of the new ‘16’ bus service.

The introduction of new city buses in Cork under Transport 21 will also make the city’s bus service 100% low floor wheelchair accessible.

Improved frequencies are also set to come into effect on the No 5 route, which serves Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and Kent Station, and on the No 8 route, serving Bishopstown, Cork City, and Mayfield. These improved route frequencies are due to be implemented in mid 2008.

The last of the Cork City ‘Green Routes’ – bus priority routes – are expected to be completed in 2008, and these will substantially enhance the fast movement of people around Cork City by bus. Seven ‘Green Routes’ are already in place. The provision of more buses and enhanced services – coupled with the introduction of these new ‘Green Routes’ – is shortening journey times and encouraging more people to use public transport.

Finally, 150,000 vehicles used the Black Ash Park and Ride facility in 2007. A site has been identified for a second bus based Park and Ride facility on the western side of Cork City, with a view to beginning construction this year. €34.4 million has been spent on the development of ‘Green Routes’ and Park and Ride facilities in Cork.

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Commenting on the Transport 21 investment in Cork City and County, Noel Dempsey TD, Minister for Transport, stated:

“The Transport 21 improvement of Ireland’s transport infrastructure is well underway. In the past two years, almost €5 billion has been invested in a radical overhaul of Ireland’s road, rail, bus and air networks.

“Transport 21 is an ambitious, long-term project, but already the benefits are clear to see in Cork City and County. The transport network in Cork is in a period of transformation. The ongoing and planned improvements to roads, rail and bus facilities in Cork will deliver real benefits to hard-pressed commuters, and make it easier to do business both in the City and the County.”

ENDS