Transport agency to meet Cork delegation over repeated accidents at dangerous N20 junctions

County councillors increasingly concerned about almost daily accidents on N20 junctions between Rathduff, on the northern outskirts of Cork City, and Charleville

Councillors traffic volumes on the N20 had increased since covid and accidents at junctions were an almost daily occurrence. Picture: Denis Minihane

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) bosses have agreed to meet a delegation from Cork County Council to discuss repeated accidents at a number of dangerous junctions on the main Cork-Limerick Road (N20).

County councillors have become increasingly concerned about almost daily accidents on N20 junctions between Rathduff, on the northern outskirts of Cork City, and Charleville.

The council had asked senior TII officials to come to Cork to meet them, but the transport authority said it did not have the time to send personnel to council meetings, as there were so many demands for this across the country.

Instead, TII said it was willing to meet with council officials and councillors representing the Kanturk/Mallow Municipal District Council, which oversees the section of the N20 between Rathduff and Charleville.

Fine Gael councillor Liam Madden has repeatedly raised serious safety concerns at the junctions, saying crashes are becoming far more commonplace and safety-enhancing works were urgently needed on them.

He maintained TII did not seem to realise the seriousness of the situation, and it needed to be addressed as a matter of priority because it could be 10 years before the M/N20 upgrade is completed.

In the meantime, Mr Madden said traffic volumes on the road have drastically increased since covid and would continue to grow.

Will we have to have more people killed on this road before we get some action?

Mr Madden said the community association in Mourneabbey had raised the seriousness of the situation with him.

He said there was recently three accidents at one of the junctions in one evening, and to him this was an obvious indication the situation was getting worse.

The introduction of steel cabling on several sections of the road to separate carriageways has cut down on accidents but not at the junctions.

Fine Gael councillor Tony O’Shea said the council had “repeatedly flagged” concerns about the junctions to TII.

He said motorists queuing to get out of the junctions were becoming very frustrated and this was one of the main causes of accidents.

“They could be sitting there waiting up to 30 minutes [at peak times] to get out onto the main road. They are getting frustrated and taking chances, that’s the problem,” Mr O’Shea said.

Fianna Fáil councillor Gearóid Murphy, who is chairman of the municipal council, said they would write to TII seeking a date for a meeting as soon as possible.