Killeagh bypass delayed

Safety works are to be carried out to reduce speed in a village in East Cork — but a planned bypass has been put on the long finger.

Senior officials from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), have agreed to carry out a €3 million project to improve the streetscape and install traffic calming measures in Killeagh.

Tony Mullane, a senior TII engineer, told members of the East Cork municipal council at a meeting in Midleton that TII had money available to plan the design of the bypass, but it would take at least two and a half years to complete that and get planning permission.

However, he added, that even when this was done there was no guarantee that funding would be made available to build the bypass.

Councillors said that TII must instead turn to upgrading the road surface in the village, improve footpaths and, most importantly, put in traffic calming measures especially near the primary school. The N20, main Cork-Waterford road, runs through the village and residents have expressed concern about the number of near misses pedestrians have encountered in recent years with passing traffic.

They are particularly concerned about the safety of children at the local school.

Cllr Susan McCarthy (FG) urged the TII officials to upgrade the village road surface but added that the most important thing was to make the area around the school safe.

“We want proper signage and traffic calming measures put in place, plus flashing speed limit signs put up with pictures of children on them. We’re also asking for a 30km speed limit, I don’t think that is inappropriate and we need to advance this fast,” Cllr McCarthy said.

Cllr Pat Buckley (SF) said he hoped TII would shortly be able to provide councillors with a timeframe for the project. “We are disappointed with news about the bypass, but outside the school is extremely dangerous,” he said.

Mr Mullane said TII would come back to councillors with a timescale for the work as soon as possible.