Midleton-Youghal greenway bus route sought by council

Amid the long-term campaign to reopen the Cork-Youghal railway, a rapid bus corridor is being proposed as an interim solution for East Cork traffic gridlock

While many in the Cork-Waterford region aspire to reopening the railway line, a bus service along the Youghal to Midleton Greenway is proposed as an interim solution. File picture: Larry Cummins

Cork County Council is seeking the introduction of a rapid bus service along the Midleton-Youghal greenway as an interim transport solution ahead of a possible reopening of the railway between the two towns.

The council is to request a meeting with transport minister Darragh O’Brien to discuss the growing traffic gridlock on roads in East Cork and sustainable ways of reducing it, such as reopening the railway connection.

The local authority is asking Mr O’Brien to urgently undertake reviews of the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS), the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) — Southern Region and the All-Ireland Strategic Rail Review to allow for the reinstatement of the Midleton to Youghal railway line as government policy.

Councillors voted unanimously for this after it was proposed by Midleton-based Fianna Fáil councillor Ann Marie Ahern.

However, it was agreed that the reintroduction of a railway line is many years away and, in the interim, a rapid bus corridor between the towns is the only viable option to ease ever-increasing    main Cork to Waterford road.

Senior Irish Rail official AJ Cronin previously said it would cost €200m to reopen the railway line, and that it would take 10 years to complete.

Ms Ahern said the reopening of the Cork-Midleton section of the railway in 2009 had been extremely successful and extending it to Youghal is the only way of alleviating gridlock on roads in the region, which for years have been deprived of upgrades.

East Cork Railway Alliance

The Fine Gael leader on the council, Michael Hegarty, said the East Cork Railway Alliance (ECRA) lobby group had collected thousands of signatures supporting the rail line’s reinstatement.

However, both he and Fine Gael councillor Rory Cocking said, in the interim, a rapid bus corridor needs to be developed along the greenway. Irish Rail has said there is sufficient room along the route for that and a railway line.

Social Democrats councillor Eamonn Horgan said the bus transit “needs to be addressed urgently.”

Flashback to August 1946 and children gather in Cork's Glanmire Rd train station for a day trip to the seaside resort of Youghal some 50km away. Regular passenger trains on the Youghal line ceased in 1963. Irish Examiner Archive

Mayor of County Cork, Independent councillor Mary Linehan-Foley, said the ECRA group had done tremendous work in galvanising support for the railway reopening by gathering support from people in West Waterford who had said they use it to commute to Cork City.

“We need to get it on some type of a development plan going forward,” she said.

Councillors from other regions of the county agreed.

Fermoy-based Aontú councillor Peter O’Donoghue said it makes common sense.

“If we are serious about promoting public transport and reducing carbon footprint this has to be done,” he said.

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