New Park and Ride facility for Cork
A new park and ride facility is planned by Cork City Council for the Carrigrohane Straight Road on the western side of the city.
In what will be hailed as good news for city centre commuters, this will be Cork’s second park and ride.
The council has just concluded negotiations to acquire 19 acres of land fronting onto Inchigaggin Lane and the Model Farm Road, which will accommodate up to six playing pitches.
It is proposed to relocate two of the existing playing pitches on the southern side of the Carrigrohane Road site over to Inchigaggin to free up land for the park and ride.
The land on the Carrigrohane Road is currently used by a number of sports clubs including Lough Rovers GAA Club, Casement Celtic Football Club and the Munster Branch of the IRFU for rugby clubs like Sundays Well and Highfield.
The council recently secured a grant allocation of €2m from the Department of Transport and can now begin with the design preparations for the new park and ride along the lines of the successful facility at Black Ash.
In a report to city councillors, to be discussed at tonight’s meeting, City Manager Joe Gavin said the land the council had acquired was level and dry and perfectly suited for public amenity use.
“Planning permission will be required but no difficulties are envisaged,” said Mr Gavin.
The council has been seeking to add a second park and ride facility to the city for a number of years.
The council had to abandon plans for a Park and Ride on the northside in 2006 after councillors and residents made it clear they would not accept the proposed site at Tinker’s Cross.
