'This isn't working': Call to remove ban on right turn onto Christy Ring bridge

A CORK TD has called on Cork City Council to revisit the right-turn ban onto the Christy Ring Bridge for traffic coming from Lavitt’s Quay.

Under traffic-flow arrangements introduced in early August, northbound traffic from the South Ring Road, Parnell Place, and St Patrick’s St has had to use Brian Boru Bridge or Michael Collins Bridge and onwards to St Patrick’s Quay and Camden Quay to access the N20, Mulgrave Road and Blackpool.

Northbound vehicular traffic, with the exception of buses, is no longer permitted to turn right from Merchants Quay onto St Patrick’s Bridge or to turn right from Lavitt’s Quay onto the Christy Ring Bridge.

Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central, Thomas Gould, has called on Cork City Council to revisit the right-turn ban over the Christy Ring Bridge. 

“I have written to Cork City Council, because I am now being contacted regularly by people frustrated by the new road layout,” Mr Gould told The Echo.

“This isn’t working in its current format. Some people are ignoring the sign, which is dangerous, and I’m really concerned about the likelihood of a serious accident at this spot now.”

The northside TD said the new traffic rules were causing traffic “chaos” for people in the area, with, he said, commute times being significantly extended.

“The reality is that we cannot introduce road plans that are focused on reducing car reliance without matching this with services,” said Mr Gould.

“BusConnects, which has the potential to take huge numbers of cars off the roads, won’t be in operation until closer to the end of this decade, and, until then, people will need cars. For many, they have no choice but to drive into, or through, the city centre. Creating traffic chaos in the city is bad for people and it’s bad for the environment. I’m calling on Cork City Council now to review the changes and decide whether this is working.”