Calls for sustainable transport infrastructure on Cork's northside

The Sinn Féin team for Cork North Central has shared the results of their Sustainable Transport Survey.

A total of 250 people responded to the survey that asked people a number of questions about how they get around their local area.

The survey was launched to celebrate Bike Week.

Speaking about the findings, Cork North Central TD Thomas Gould said that some of the results were “eye-opening”.

“Three in four people don’t feel they can cycle safely in their local area. 58% of people would like to cycle more but don’t feel they can because of safety.

“This is a huge number of people who clearly wish they could be using their bikes for getting to the shops or work or even just for fun but can’t because of poor cycling infrastructure.

“One in three people don’t feel their local area is accessible. The majority of people raised issues with narrow or broken footpaths here and I know there are major issues with this right across Cork North Central. It is vitally important that people feel they can access their local area,” he said.

He said that the survey found that 83% of people believe that the Government and the Council need to do more to encourage sustainable transport use.

“It’s very clear that the issues are not with the weather or hills but instead with a lack of infrastructure,” Deputy Gould said.

“We need to give people and give Cork a chance by investing in cycle lanes right across the city.” 

Almost 70% of respondents said their local area is not a nice place to go for a walk, which councillors for Cork City North West Mick Nugent and Kenneth Collins said made “clear” that improvements are needed in the landscape in the North West of the city.

A key component to this has to be Regional Park that is accessible and available to people to go for walks or bring children or dogs. This could transform the area and improve the communities’ quality of life.” 

Local Area Rep for Cork City North East Mandy O’Leary-Hegarty said that with almost half of the respondents commuting by car, and one in four commuting over 45 minutes every day, it is “very clear that public transport is desperately needed in areas in the North-East such as Upper Glanmire”.

Highlighting peoples’ concerns about cycle lanes that end suddenly in their area she said that building on existing cycle lane routes is also important.