City unveils €5m park-and-ride plan

PLANS for a €5 million, 600-space park-and-ride site on Cork’s northside were unveiled last night.

However, the city council is facing a battle to develop in Mayfield what would be its second park-and-ride site.

It already has a 900-car park-and-ride site at Black Ash, off the Kinsale Road roundabout.

Locals have vowed to fight the new development, earmarked for a field known locally as Tinker’s Cross.

They claimed the area, which is already congested, will be swamped with cars if the project goes ahead.

They are also angry that the council is planning to build on one of the area’s last remaining green spaces.

Council-appointed Atkins Consultants outlined the plan for the Mayfield Cross park-and-ride site to locals last night.

They said the site is suitable because rail links planned under the Cork Area Strategic Plan at Dunkettle and Kilbarry will not tackle traffic congestion in the Mayfield area.

The park-and-ride would relieve congestion on the Old Youghal Road, used by up to 10,000 vehicles daily.

Buses would operate from the site between 7.30am and 7.30pm and travel on the under-construction No 8 green bus route into Merchant’s Quay in the city.

A council spokesman said last night’s consultation was the first stage in a long process. “Depending on feedback, we may look at modifying the proposals if necessary,” he said.

The site also straddles the city and county boundaries.

County council officials will also have to be fully briefed on the plans, the spokesman said.

However, local councillor Mick Barry said the Tinker’s Cross site was totally unsuitable.

“You’ll have one of the biggest car parks in Munster in an area which is already heavily congested,” he said.

He declined to suggest an alternative location but called on the community to organise and put pressure on the council to fight the plans.