Cork city councillors clash over aspects of BusConnects corridors in heated debate

THERE was a lengthy and at times heated debate at last night’s meeting of Cork City Council following a motion tabled by all seven of the city’s Fianna Fáil councillors calling on the council to reject the National Transport Authority's (NTA's) draft plans for 12 new sustainable transport corridors (STCs).

The motion also called on the NTA to engage in “meaningful consultation” with residents who may be affected by land acquisition and that these consultations “should be held in person and on site”.

Additionally, the motion also included calls for more public consultation, and for the NTA to establish a permanent office in Cork City for ongoing engagement with the public.

Speaking on the motion last night, Fianna Fáil councillor Seán Martin said that while “nobody is objecting to the concept” of BusConnects the plans must “go back to the drawing board”.

This was echoed by Fianna Fáil councillor Tony Fitzgerald who said that the party does want the project to go ahead but that aspects of the proposals have caused upset to people and that significant changes are needed.

'UNECESSARY'

Green Party councillor Dan Boyle said the motion was “unnecessary” and said the wording was misleading. 

“Words have meaning and context is always important and when you put down a motion that says the word ‘rejects’, that creates a context and it creates an expectation that what’s being proposed will be removed in its entirety.

“And it’s also unnecessary because the first phase of BusConnects is already finished and it’s not going to come back in the form that it came in its first iteration,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sinn Féin councillor Mick Nugent said he would be in favour of a proposed amendment substituting the word "rejects" to “extensive revision” to the current plans.

Mr Nugent said his party have concerns with the current proposals but that the NTA has indicated that they are willing to make changes.

However, Fine Gael councillor Des Cahill said the motion should not be “watered down”.

Mr Cahill expressed his total opposition to the proposals “in their current guise”. “This motion is essentially saying that,” he added.

Councillors ultimately voted in favour of the amendment to the motion. 

Approximately 2,300 submissions were made during the initial phase of public consultation, which ended last week.

Elements of the current proposals, including the potential acquisition of land, the removal of on-street parking, and the removal of trees have proved highly controversial.

A spokesperson for the NTA said the organisation will go through all the submissions received, and that they “will be reflected in the revised plans”.

“We went through a similar process for corridors in Dublin, plans for which were substantially changed arising from feedback we received from local communities,” the spokesperson continued.

The proposed project includes the development of approximately 93 km of bus lane/ bus priority and 112 km of cycle facilities across the city.