National route is a major hazard

HAVING recently returned to Cork from Killarney on the N22, I was left pondering the conditions of the road.

As any regular traveller on the route knows, Ovens – and specifically the EMC plant – is the point at which safe, legal overtaking ends until the Killarney side of Ballyvourney – a mere distance of 42km. The same is true of the return journey.

There are one or two places, a kilometre or two in length, where a competent driver with knowledge of the road, and in the right conditions, might overtake.

In general, this turns out to be nothing more that wishful (and unsafe) thinking as frustrated motorists put their pedals to the metal in both directions at these locations.

The Crookstown straight and turn-off is not for the fainthearted, wherever you are coming from, as all hell breaks loose with motorists endeavouring to pass. As for Crookstown traffic entering the straight at busy times, well I consider these drivers brave to the point of foolishness.

On the return Cork journey over the county bounds, it is considered wise to pass any truck, caravan or other slow-moving vehicle before the Ballyvourney cut-off. This wide, sweeping road narrows to a point where there was a tragic fatal accident last week. Speed traps are not unknown in this area and I’m sure many motorists have succumbed to the potential frustration of being trapped behind slow vehicles.

So what has happened over the past decade or two?

Well, someone has discovered you can (almost) paint a white line from Ovens to Ballyvourney and that this will translate as competent road safety management. Both the NRA or Cork County Council have to provide safe passing zones on a major national route.

At the moment, 40 km of this national route is unsafe for vehicles to overtake in both directions. And yet, no responsible persons seem perturbed that this scenario might lead to road accidents.

Brian O’Mahony

Coolgreine

Maryborough Hill

Douglas

Cork