Cork politicians urge action over high road death toll 

Cllr Ted Tynan appealed for urgent work to tackle heavy traffic in the north side of the city. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

Cork’s politicians are calling for urgent action to make the roads safer following a string of tragic deaths.

More people have died on Cork roads this year than in any other county, with at least 21 fatalities so far, including one in north Cork, six in Cork central and five in Cork west.

Cork city and its suburbs has seen a 500% increase in deaths, jumping from one up to December last year to six this year so far.

Workers Party councillor Ted Tynan appealed for urgent work to tackle heavy traffic in the north side of the city at the latest Joint Policing Committee after a female pedestrian, Eileen Kennedy, was killed when she was hit by an articulated lorry in Mayfield last Thursday.

And there will be more tragic road deaths in the area unless something is done, he said.

“There were plans to build a North Ring Road 35 years ago but it still hasn’t been built. If it had been built, we would not be having these volumes of traffic,” Mr Tynan said.

There are at least 1,000 trucks and vans that we’ve counted going north and south on one road through Mayfield on busy days and there are school children criss-crossing that road all day. 

"I’m amazed there hasn’t been a fatality there before. The volume of trucks here is the worst I’ve seen throughout the whole city."

He said the situation was going to get worse when the upgrade begins on the Cork-Limerick road next year. 

"I can see that diverting even more traffic into the area and the roads here were not built to take it. The roads were built to service a few housing estates and they are totally unsuitable for these volumes of traffic. It’s been an accident waiting to happen,” he said.

On the south side of the city, Fine Gael Senator Jerry Buttimer said certain roads, like Curraheen Road in Bishopstown, are “being used as a racetrack” with little evidence of police monitoring, traffic calming measures or improved engineering to decrease risk.

A poorly signposted pedestrian crossing at a busy junction by a church on that road is of considerable concern to elderly residents and parents whose children attend schools in the area, he said.

'Racetrack'

“As you go up the hill from Curaheen Road it becomes like a racetrack, and then you hit the crest of a hill and you’re suddenly confronted with a pedestrian crossing that is not very well signposted or illuminated in advance of it," he said.

“I’m looking for An Garda Síochána to come up with a traffic management plan around that pedestrian crossing at the church on Curraheen Road.”

Mr Buttimer is “concerned” that gardaí are focusing resources on larger roads throughout Cork at the expense of smaller, potentially more dangerous roads which are “becoming like racetracks". 

I’m concerned that our focus is becoming a money-making exercise rather than deterring [dangerous driving]. 

“There are roads that need to be populated both by speed cameras and by manned Garda units and I don’t think they’re being done.

“I think it’s important that they consider our concerns around speed on the Curraheen Road, the Melbourne Road, Skehard Road, Boreenmanna Road and from Carrs Hill to Carrigaline. Some of those roads are much more prone to speeding.

"We need to look at how Transport Infrastructure Ireland, the councils, the gardaí can work to increase visibility at dangerous junctions and look at the issue of speed limits in some areas being reduced."

“We need greater collaboration between the authorities in making roads and junctions safer. It isn’t all about enforcement, it’s about engineering and raising awareness as well.” 

Of the road fatalities in Cork city and its suburbs, five were pedestrians, one was a driver, and one was a passenger.

And across Cork city and county, five pedestrians have been killed following a collision with a truck or van this year.

However, there was also an 18% decrease in serious injuries on the roads, with 51 up to December last year and 42 in the same period this year.

Despite decreased traffic on the roads, detections for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs remained almost static, falling only 1% from 256 to 254, according to Garda figures.

Chief Superintendent of Cork Barry McPolin said at Cork City’s Joint Policing Committee: “Traffic volumes were way down due to the pandemic but you nearly have the same number arrested for drink driving and drug driving. It’s a wake-up call to us all.” 

He cautioned all road users to be extremely careful on the roads this Christmas and promised increased Garda checkpoints over the Christmas period.