Cashel faces 7km traffic exclusion zone for visit

A SEVEN-KILOMETRE traffic cordon will be in place around Cashel on Thursday night next week, before Queen Elizabeth’s visit on Friday morning.

Any journeys planned in Cork city centre during her visit on Friday afternoon will have to be made on foot, gardaí warned.

Pedestrians can also expect to be subjected to searches from time to time by members of the force.

The details emerged yesterday as the Garda press office released details of a raft of road closures and diversions, as well as severe parking restrictions that will be in place in Tipperary and Cork city on May 20 next.

Queen Elizabeth is due to visit the Rock of Cashel that morning and the English Market and UCC’s Tyndall Institute in the afternoon.

Traffic flow restrictions will begin on the M8 motorway from noon on Monday.

The restrictions will run for a distance of 10km from the northern side of junction 7 to the southern side of junction 9.

The speed limit will be reduced to 100km/h and traffic will be reduced to one lane on the outside lane of the carriageways both northbound and southbound.

Vehicle message signs (VMS) will be put in place on the northbound lane at junction 10 Cahir (about five kilometres south of Cashel) and at the 2km sign for Cashel.

VMS signs will also be placed on the southbound lanes at junction 6, Horse and Jockey, 5km north of Cashel and at the 2km sign for Cashel.

Detailed traffic restrictions will be imposed in and around Cashel and Cork city from Thursday night.

Parking will be removed from the queen’s planned route into Cork city from 6pm on Thursday.

Several city centre streets, including the South Link Road (inbound), Station Road, Anglesea Street, South Mall, Grand Parade, Patrick Street, Academy Street, Washington Street, Sheares Street, and Dyke Parade, will be closed to traffic from 10am on Friday.

Gardaí warned the public to allow extra time for journeys and to use public transport if possible.

Some bus timetables may be subject to disruption for short periods.

Gardaí said they will maintain a high-visibility presence in all areas to facilitate traffic movement and that rolling road closures will be flagged in advance.