Renewed calls for one-way system to be trialled on Blarney Street

Frustrations are mounting among a residents’ group over speeding and traffic congestion on Blarney Street with renewed calls for a one-way system to be trialled and for further traffic calming measures to be put in place.

Chairman of Blarney Street and surrounding areas community association, Tom Coleman, said it was agreed at a public meeting in 2019 to appeal to Cork City Council to trial new traffic flow arrangements. 

A further public meeting was held in November 2021 and following this, the community association made another appeal for a one-way system to be tested. 

However, Mr Coleman claimed there has been a lack of action from Cork City Council in progressing the residents’ suggestion.

“We have genuinely been neglected. It’s very disheartening, to say the least,” he said.

“People now are genuinely avoiding the area and also it’s being used as a rat run.

“We’re very passionate about our area… but we’re actually choked with traffic at this stage. It’s a disaster. It’s unfortunate because it's so historical the whole area and it’s being totally neglected."

Mr Coleman also pointed to the fact that the majority of residents living on the street — ostensibly the longest in the country — do not have a driveway and must therefore park their cars on the road, leaving room for just one car to pass. 

The community association, he said, has proposed three options for traffic alleviation but has yet to see anything progressed. 

“We’ve asked can we implement this on a trial basis and review it then. That’s all we’re looking for," he said. 

“The silence is deafening at this stage now." 

Mr Coleman said there is also a need for further traffic calming measures at the narrower section of the street and for the area to be revitalised. 

“We have ramps up to a certain area but the ramps should be extended to control the traffic as well," he said.

“Blarney Street, being the longest street in Ireland, has a need for an overhaul.

“This [the one-way traffic system] is a trial basis that we recommend might resolve this [traffic] problem and then we could look at the bigger picture," he told The Echo. 

Mr Coleman said he would call on local councillors to propose a suspension of standing orders at the next council meeting for the matter to be discussed.