A €1bn 25-stop light-rail system linking Ballincollig to Mahon via a new docklands bridge is among the proposals contained in the long-awaited Cork Metropolitan Area Draft Transport Strategy (CMATS).

Work on a €1bn light rail system for Cork will not start until 2031 at the earliest with the focus in the interim on improved roads and increased bus lanes.

A €1bn light rail system between Ballincollig and Mahon Point via the city centre, as well as eight new railway stations and 100km of bus lanes, are contained in a radical new transport plan for Cork.

Ambitious plans to develop a €1bn ‘New Cork’ will be discussed by planners as the city takes a giant leap towards unlocking the potential of its vast docklands.