Traffic queues from East Cork into tunnel 'getting worse'

 A meeting heard that while traffic from East Cork heading for the city is moving well since the Dunkettle upgrade, queues had become noticeably worse for vehicles coming from that direction heading into the tunnel.

Traffic is grinding to a halt at peak times in Midleton and around Carrigtwohill, while queues from that direction into the Jack Lynch Tunnel have worsened since the Dunkettle junction’s €220m upgrade, councillors have heard.

The gridlock has sparked fears that the County Development Plan for major housing and industrial development in the East Cork region is in serious jeopardy.

A meeting of the council’s southern division heard that gridlock is becoming a serious issue in Midleton, especially at the Lakewood roundabout junction during peak times. Construction of the town’s northern relief road is unlikely to start for at least three years.

This delay, combined with no government funding for the upgrade of the N25 (main Cork-Waterford road) between Carrigtwohill and Midleton, has led to serious concerns that plans to build thousands of new homes along the adjacent rail corridor now have “questionable viability.” 

'A source of massive frustration'

A myriad of traffic issues dominated the meeting. Fine Gael councillor Anthony Barry and Social Democrats councillor Liam Quaide said that while traffic from East Cork heading for the city is moving well since the Dunkettle upgrade, queues had got noticeably worse for vehicles coming from that direction heading into the tunnel and this is a matter of serious concern.

“It’s a source of massive frustration to people,” Mr Quaide said. Mr Barry claimed the delays would discourage people and industries who want to locate in East Cork.

Council officials said that Transport Infrastructure Ireland engineers are carrying out a ‘monitoring phase’ of traffic movements at the tunnel. When this is completed the officials said they will be able to discuss the gridlock issues with them.

The northern relief road would provide Midleton motorists with a badly needed junction to access the N25. However, senior council officials said that while they have sought money from the Department of Transport for the project, the best-case scenario is that construction won’t start for three years.

Lakewood roundabout

Meanwhile, officials said they have contacted TII about upgrading the Lakewood roundabout.

Fine Gael councillor Michael Hegarty said queuing will only get worse there as more houses come on stream close to it.

Mr Barry said the combination of gridlock in Midleton and the likelihood that it will soon become the same in Carrigtwohill, allied to the traffic congestion at the Jack Lynch Tunnel from the eastern approach, could well scupper plans for huge housing and industrial development in the East Cork region.

Mr Barry said these issues have to be addressed as does the Government’s axing of funding for the N25 upgrade between Carrigtwohill and Midleton which he said could result in plans for thousands of new houses at Waterrock, to the east of Midleton and to the north of the railway line at Carrigtwohill having “questionable viability.” 

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Fianna Fáil councillors Sheila O’Callaghan and Ann Marie Ahern expressed concern that just €200,000 had been allocated for safety measures on the Carrigtwohill-Midleton stretch and were told this money was for the design of ‘low cost measures’ to make some junctions safer.

Officials said the design of the Midleton northern relief road could be problematic as it will have to be compatible with plans for the town’s flood relief project.

Fine Gael councillor Susan McCarthy said it’s taking about 20 minutes to get into and out of the town and the relief road is vital to provide additional access to the N25.