Anger at Cork council’s refusal to permit ferry stops

CORK City Council has been accused of having “no joined up thinking” on future transportation, after refusing permission for two pick-up points on a proposed €30 million commuter ferry route.

A number of county councillors reacted angrily to the news, especially as their local authority had already granted planning permission for a number of pick up points in Cork harbour for the Harbour Cats ferry project.

Cllr Tim Lombard (FG) said yesterday he was “very disappointed” with the news and claimed the city council “wasn’t capable of joined up thinking.”

Cllr Lombard said that representatives from the city and county met regularly with each other to discuss transportation issues and he had formed the opinion that the city council was in favour of the project.

“There’s absolutely no point having these joint committee meetings if this is going to happen,” he said.

His party colleague, Cllr Michael Hegarty, said the project would be very good for the harbour area and added that the Port of Cork authority had also backed it.

He urged the Mayor of County Cork, Cllr Noel Harrington, and county manager, Martin Riordan, to address the issue with their counterparts in Cork City Council.

Mr Riordan said he believed the project would be very good for the area.

“I think the service would make the harbour. It would be one of the things that would open it up for tourism and transport,” the county manager said.

Harbour Cats director Aidan Coffey said he was also very disappointed that the city council had refused planning permission for pick-up points at Blackrock pier and The Marina.

His company has already received planning permission for a main terminal in Cobh, a pick-up point in that town and pick-up points at Monkstown and Crosshaven.

Harbour Cats is also looking at the possibility of creating pick-up points at Aghada and other parts of the lower harbour.

“I don’t know the reasons behind the refusal yet. But I am very disappointed with the city council. We will be appealing it to Bord Pleanála,” he said.

Cllr Deirdre Forde (FF) said the commuter ferry service would have been critically important, given congestion in the city.

“If there were issues the city council should have ironed them out during pre-planning talks. Commuter ferry transport was in CASP (Cork Area Strategic Plan). We should talk to the city manager,” Cllr Forde said.