'Eye-watering' cost of Cork active travel route will have major benefits for citizens, council told

Glanmire to city centre 4.9km active travel route will include segregated cycle and pedestrian infrastructure, public seating areas, landscaping and a play area

The infrastructure proposed on Penrose Wharf as part of the Glanmire to Cork active travel route.

A Green Party councillor has described as “eye-watering” the €15m price tag for a cycling and walking corridor between Glanmire and Cork city centre but insists the benefits will be enormous.

Cllr Oliver Moran made his comments at Monday’s meeting of Cork City Council, where city councillors approved the Part 8 planning consent for the Glanmire to city centre (phase 2) scheme — a 4.9km active travel route that will run east-west from the N8 Dunkettle roundabout to Horgan’s Quay in the city centre.

The infrastructure will include segregated cycle and pedestrian infrastructure along Penrose and Horgan’s Quays, through the McMahons Yard on Water Street, along Lower Glanmire Road and through Tivoli before crossing over the rail line to connect to the existing active travel facilities at Dunkettle.

It will include improvements to the public space along the river’s edge, the replacement or provision of public lighting along the entire route, public seating areas, landscaping and a play area within the Port of Cork Millennium Gardens.

The infrastructure proposed on the Lower Glanmire Road as part of the Glanmire to Cork active travel route.

It will also include a 170m-long ramp to the Silversprings overbridge, and two new active travel bridges, one at the dry dock at McMahon’s, and one crossing the railway just west of Dunkettle, where the route will join the recently-completed walking and cycling route to Glanmire and the Little Island commercial and industrial hub.

The scheme is one of 35 national so-called ‘Pathfinder’ projects designed to showcase the potential of active travel projects, which are due to be completed by 2025.

Mr Moran said it must be accepted the cost of the scheme was “eye watering” but he insisted it would deliver major benefits.

"This is a project that checks so many boxes,” he said.

“It connects the city centre to a municipal town in Glanmire and on to a major employment hub in Little Island.

“It opens lands at the rear of the Harbour Commissioner's building and at Tivoli for development.

It gives to the northside of the river something like the Marina has given to the southside.

“Being alongside the river means it's along a flat route that's both practical for commuters and attractive for leisure walkers.

“When it is complete, it will form a complete route, connecting to newly finished walking and cycling routes in Glanmire and Little Island.

“That will give whole new opportunities for people to walk, cycle or scoot to work, school and to the city centre, or simply enjoy a walk along the river, or take a bike from Kent station to Glanmire village.” 

The view from Tivoli industrial estate of a section of the proposed Glanmire to Cork active travel route.

He described it as a nationally significant piece of infrastructure that would rank as one of the most significant projects overseen by the previous council, and delivered during this council.

But he said other work must be completed to ensure Glanmire, which he said was “hugely car dependent” and “poorly served by the bus service” could benefit fully from it, including improving cycling and walking links in Glanmire village itself.

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In a report to councillors, Gerry O’Beirne, the head of the council’s infrastructure development directorate, said lands along Penrose Quay, Horgan’s Quay and within the McMahons site were all zoned as new residential neighbourhoods, while the Port of Cork Tivoli Docks was zoned for mixed used at the western end and the majority of the site was zoned for long term strategic regeneration.

He said the route would support the sustainable development of these lands in line with the National Planning Framework.

The scheme, advertised in May, attracted 35 submissions, 34 submissions were deemed relevant, with 23 supportive and most including minor amendments or additions.