Fermoy gridlock: Councillors seek clarity on junction rejected by planners 20 years ago

Cork County Council hears that omission has contributed to major traffic congestion in the town to this day

Early morning traffic making it way along Patrick Street on the east side of Fermoy, Co Cork. Picture: Dan Linehan

An Bord Pleanála has been asked to explain why a major junction was omitted from a motorway scheme 20 years ago which, councillors say, has caused major traffic congestion in Fermoy. 

Fine Gael councillors Noel McCarthy and Kay Dawson called on Cork County Council to seek funding for a central interchange on the M8 Rathcormac-Fermoy bypass — and to seek an explanation as to why it was not included in the scheme in 2002.

It follows an Irish Examiner article on April 23 focusing on the bypass and its impact[/url on the town.

Mr McCarthy said the effects are felt daily.

"What concerned us is that the decision went against all of the consultants acting on behalf of Cork County Council and went against their own inspector who said it would be a sound idea to have an on and off ramp in this position," he said.

The sufferers are the business people, shoppers, and residents of the town. 

"Now we have people coming through Fermoy for no reason whatsoever, only to avoid paying the toll. We must have some plan that an on and off will eventually be given to Fermoy town which it deserves."

Sean Callery from the Cork National Roads Office said that the bypass was a tolled Public Private Partnerships (PPP) scheme and it did not include an N72 Tallow Road junction in the original plan.

“Subsequent to the oral hearing held by An Bórd Pleanála in 2001, additional information was requested and provided at the oral hearing in relation to the possibility of including a junction on the N72 Tallow Road.

"An Bord Pleanála subsequently confirmed the scheme in 2002 without the inclusion of an N72 junction.

“The introduction of a Fermoy central interchange junction on the M8 Rathcormac-Fermoy Bypass is not really possible during the lifetime of the PPP with Direct Route which I understand will exist for many years to come at this juncture,” he said.

Cllr William O’Leary said that the town was “getting very close to a situation where it’s going to be unsustainable in the town centre of Fermoy if we continue down the path we are going”.

He added: “I don’t want to see this town become a bottleneck in the next 20 years but I think we are definitely on that path at the moment.” 

'Shameful lack of foresight'

Cllr Deirdre O’Brien said it was “shameful and regrettable that there were individuals with the poor foresight to see the progress and future growth of developing Fermoy and they got their way”.

Senior executive engineer Brendan O’Gorman said that if funding became available from the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, councillors should consider making it more difficult for heavy goods vehicles to use the town as an alternative to the toll road.

“We can take on board the joint motion and will convey same to Padraig Barrett. As you are aware there is no money to pay for anything like the capital scheme that would be required so it is very much in the long-term but we can work towards it absolutely,” he said.