Call for northside to be included in bike scheme plan

A RENEWED call has been made for better expansion of cycling infrastructure on Cork city’s northside - with no new stations slated north of the Lee River.

The National Transport Authority, in recent months, announced that the Coke Zero bike scheme was to be expanded in the city.

However, none of the new stations are located north of the Lee.

The new locations are at County Hall, Mardyke Walk, Gaol Walk, Brookfield, Dennehy’s Cross, Cork University Hospital, CIT, Model Farm Road, Kenley, Connaught Avenue and Albert Quay/Victoria Road.

Labour Party Councillor John Maher is calling for the NTA to provide funding to allow cycling infrastructure to become a reality on the northside.

"Presently we have no cycle stations on the northside, and the latest expansion ignores the northside once more. 

"We need to come up with a plan that includes popular spots like Shandon, along Blackpool Village and into the Shopping Centre, St Lukes and along Wellington Road, around the Ballyhooly Road entrance to the Glen River Park to compliment the new cycle lane on Ballyhooly Road and Tivoli and into the city,” he said.

“This can be great. There are other possible locations but these ones above would kick start the cycle stations on the northside,” he added.

Councillor Maher went on to say that it would be a solid foundation to start building infrastructure on the northside, and called on the NTA to come up with northside specific funding for such projects.

"The NTA must come up with the funding to allow us develop infrastructure particularly on the Northside.

"Even the most basic of infrastructure must be fast-tracked,” he concluded.