City Hall gives green light for new pedestrian access to Cork's Tramore Valley Park

Cork city councillors have approved Part 8 planning to facilitate the opening of the Half Moon Lane entrance to Tramore Valley Park.

The new layout, when completed, will see changes to the junction with the South Douglas Road, changes on the lane itself and will enable the entrance to the park to be opened to pedestrians and cyclists.

The plans for the ‘Access to Tramore Valley Park via Half Moon Lane Road Improvement Scheme’ went to public consultation in August and 45 submissions were received, a report issued to city councillors stated.

“The objective of the proposed scheme is to provide a safe pedestrian/cycle access to Tramore Valley Park from the South Douglas Road via Half Moon Lane along with accommodating safe vehicular access and egress for all existing properties and activities on the lane,” the report stated.

“Cork City Council proposes to carry out works which include the provision of new footpaths on Half Moon Lane, a new signalised junction with controlled pedestrian crossings, new uncontrolled pedestrian crossings on Half Moon Lane, a new public lighting scheme, new traffic calming measures, improved road markings, signage and elements of carriageway resurfacing,” it continued.

The park, on the site of the remediated city landfill, was officially opened in May of last year but there has been constant criticism about its pedestrian and cycling access points.

Speaking at the full council meeting, held online for the first time tonight, Independent councillor Kieran McCarthy said it was welcome that the report “reflected upon the enthusiasm expressed in submissions and the issues raised by the submissions”.

“Funding now needs to be secured for this Part 8 to progress past this report,” he continued.

Mr McCarthy acknowledged how far the site has come in the past decade.

“Tramore Valley Park has etched itself as a jewel in the growing necklace of parks in the city, which are highly significant to the mental and physical health of the city," he said.

The council’s director of operations, David Joyce, said City Hall is applying at a national level to fund the project.

“Should that funding be unavailable we will look locally to try and fund this out of our own resources. 

“How that will happen I’m not too sure – we’re obviously hopeful that national funding won’t require us to do that but we’re committed to this project either way,” he said.

Fine Gael councillor Shane O’Callaghan said he was glad to see Part 8 coming before the council.

He described it as a “hugely positive development”, adding that funding now needs to be prioritised.

The project will now proceed to the detailed design and tender document preparation stages.