'It’s only a matter of time before somebody is hit’: Traffic concerns at Cork city housing estate

AN accident waiting to happen is how one resident described the situation at a housing estate in Knocknaheeny where there are no footpaths and a blind corner leading down to some of the houses.

Myles Gaffney, who is living on Ardmore Avenue for the past 15 years, is calling for one point of a road accessing numbers 71-95A to be closed to through traffic.

“A blind corner is being used as a main road and cars are coming in and there are no footpaths so residents are walking out of their door straight onto a road,” Mr Gaffney told The Echo.

“It’s lethal and it’s only a matter of time before somebody is hit.

“I really think they should just close it down at the bottom and leave the top half open for the residents to go down.” Sinn Féin councillor Mick Nugent has also flagged his concerns.

He submitted a motion to Cork City Council calling for a survey to be conducted on the traffic routes around the Barnardo's facility in the area.

He said residents living in numbers 71-95A are concerned about the extra traffic passing their homes where there is no footpath.

Whilst there is signage indicating that the road accessing these properties is a one-way system, this is not always observed and needs to be improved he said.

Cork City Council stated that the matter would be reviewed “in the context of current and future developments in the Regeneration area”, and that a report would be issued on the matter to the local councillors at the next Local Area Committee Meeting.

“I think the city council does have an obligation to urgently look at the traffic in around Barnardo’s,” Mr Nugent said.

“Some residents now see an increase in traffic because of previous regeneration works there have led to changes in the area.

“Residents are concerned, they have no footpaths there, there’s an increase in traffic.

“There’s a one-way system that’s not always observed.

“There are particular concerns about children running out onto the road,” he said.

He also suggested a solution may be to close one side of the area to through traffic.

“From talking to engineers in the council, it is something that they think might be an option.

“They may need to close it at one side or the other.

“That will be looked at hopefully sooner rather than later,” he said.

“The ongoing regeneration is positive.

“Barnardo’s itself is a great facility, but they themselves have raised it in the past, issues around parking and traffic.”