Report on Cork's potential park and ride sites to be published by the end of 2026

The facilities are reliant on new bus corridors being delivered through BusConnects first

In January 2024, Cork City Council director of infrastructure Gerry O’Beirne said the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy identified six locations for park and ride facilities, including Blarney/Stoneview, Dunkettle, Carr’s Hill, Bandon Road, and Ballincollig.

A report on potential park and ride facilities in Cork should be ready before the end of this year, but they may be dependent on the bus service improving.

Fianna Fáil TD Aindrias Moynihan asked the minister for transport to provide a list of all park and ride projects under consideration or development by the National Transport Authority (NTA) for Cork, including location, current status, estimated capacity, estimated cost, planning status and delivery timeline.

Darragh O'Brien said the Programme for Government commits to working with local authorities and relevant agencies to develop affordable park and ride facilities on the outskirts of major towns and cities.

He added that the NTA has responsibility for planning and developing park and ride sites, and is leading the development and rollout of strategic park and ride sites nationwide through the Park and Ride Development Office (PRDO), and said he had asked the NTA for an update on the topic.

“Pending this more detailed response, I note that the PRDO is currently developing a Park and Ride Strategy for the Cork Metropolitan Area, building on the framework set out in the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy 2040.

“This document should be ready for publication in late 2026,” he said.

In January 2024, Cork City Council director of infrastructure Gerry O’Beirne said the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy identified six indicative locations for such park and ride facilities, including Blarney/Stoneview, Dunkettle, Carr’s Hill, Bandon Road, and Ballincollig.

However, he said these facilities would be reliant on new bus corridors being delivered through BusConnects first, “because park and ride facilities are not attractive to potential users if the related bus service is hampered by general traffic congestion”.