Council to signpost coastline as part of a new cycling network

CORK County Council is en route to signpost more than 470km of the county’s coastline for a new cycling network by the end of this year.

The routes will be a part of the 20,000km long Europe-wide Eurovelo 1 cycling network, which spans Scandinavia, Scotland, Wales, England, Portugal, Spain, France and Ireland’s Atlantic coast.

Cork’s part of the network will sprawl from Youghal to Eyeries along the water and will stick to “low traffic routes that would be appealing to cyclists,” according to the council.

A programme is currently being agreed upon with a Fermoy-based contractor in order to get the signposting work underway, as announced at the council’s Southern Committee meeting on Monday.

The council has accepted a tender from Lagan Operations and Maintenance Ltd for the amount of €360,000 for the creation, installation, and maintenance of the signs, which are expected to be “substantially” completed by Christmas.

The funding is part of a €500,000 allocation that was granted by the Department of Transport’s Greenway Programme to provide safety and guidance for cyclists on the Cork stretch of the Eurovelo 1. The Eurovelo 1 cycling route takes cyclists through some of Europe’s most dynamic and exciting landscapes, including our incredible coastline here in Cork,” Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Gillian Coughlan said.

“This funding will enable Cork County Council to clearly mark its trail for visitors exploring Cork and for residents keeping active. The Council’s completion of this project will bring yet another fantastic amenity to our doorstep and pave the way for people to transition to active travel.”