Time to do a job on Inchigaggin bridge

Now that the operation of one local authority for Cork is being considered, the first item on the agenda has to be the removal of the chicane at Inchigaggin bridge on the Model Farm Road where the city and county authorities have drawn their border.

For many years people have been unable to access the Western side of the city this way by foot or bicycle without risking one’s life as it’s impossible to traverse this road.

Yes this road is a practical route to the Cork Institute of Technology, UCC via Dennehy’s Cross and a myriad of other educational and business premises.

Parents have been forced to drive their offspring to school for years due to this road hazard and the most basic of cost benefit exercises using fuel savings, exercise benefits etc. would indicate the road should have been improved years ago.

It is within spitting distance of the county hall and perhaps with one local authority the engineers might get together and solve the problem.

The wonderful new half-hourly bus service on the 220 route from Ovens to Cork has further increased the road hazard and the authorities have a duty of care to pedestrians and cyclists.

There is a little stream under the bridge which should be a small problem to handle.

The real problem is the inability of the tax-funded councils to bury their territorial differences and serve the public.

We have been agitating about this problem for over 30 years and made submissions to various schemes on both sides of the border without any action.

Hopefully a one county authority could solve the problem.

I remain optimistic.

Daniel Coleman

Oaklee

Carrigrohane,

Co Cork