Blarney Street residents want City Hall to make the street one-way

THE POSSIBILITY of making Ireland’s longest residential street a one-way system is to come before City Hall in 2020.

A meeting this week of Blarney Street and Sunday’s Well residents saw a vote cast on three options for traffic alleviation with a full one-way option from the junction at Shandon Street all the way up to Blarney Road the preferred option.

Chair of the Blarney Street residents association Tom Coleman has said the meeting has now given councillors a clear mandate to bring the issue to Cork City Council.

“There are three options about the one-way system. One would run from the junction at Shandon Street to Sunday’s Well avenue; the second is from the junction up to Baker’s Lane and the third one is right through up to the Blarney Road,” said Mr Coleman.

“The most common preference from a vote of people who attended the meeting is for Blarney Street one-way all the way up.

“The north-west ward councillors are going to discuss it. There have been so many issues with articulated trucks coming down the street and the road is not fit for purpose.

“At least we are have having the conversation now but, of course, with anything, there will be teething problems.” The area could see a population spurt in the coming years, with plans to redevelop the former Good Shepherd convent site for housing.

Current owners, Moneda Developments, who bought the site for just over €1.5m, have planning permission in place for 202 residential units on 7.8 acres at the site which has led to fears the local infrastructure will not be able to cope.

“There are a few new developments coming on stream and, of course, the elephant in the room is the potential development of the Good Shepherd site. The traffic is bad at the moment but if there are any more developments it will be total gridlock.

“Taking this to the council will now allow there to be a public consultation process after a design process where we can put it to the local community and get everyone’s views. There will be a wide-ranging consultation process. This is the start of the journey,” Mr Coleman added.