Call to address Douglas traffic light issues causing tailback 'chaos'

TRAFFIC lights in an area of Douglas village need to be re-sequenced as huge tailbacks are occurring during the morning and evening rush hours, according to a Cork City Councillor.

Independent councillor Mick Finn has called for a report to be furnished to Cork City Council on the changed traffic junction on the Douglas Road, where the road comes off the N40 Ring Road by Douglas Community School and Willow Park.

This report “should include any measures taken since installation, regarding requested changes in the sequencing of lights”.

Huge tailbacks are causing headaches for local commuters, he said.

“The problem is that cars coming off the slip road from the Ring Road — what’s happening is that the red lights under the underpass are preventing the flow of traffic into the village.

“It’s been reported to me on numerous occasions, that there are long tailbacks on the Douglas Road, out on to the Ring Road.

“I have seen it myself.”

The lights are not “in sync”, he claimed.

Mr Finn said he has asked on numerous previous occasions for the lights to be re-sequenced.

However, local residents say there is still chaos there at certain points in the day, especially around the school-run in the mornings, at lunch time, and in the evenings as workers return home.

“Cars can’t get through the junction,” he said.

“It [re-sequencing] still has yet to be done to an extent where it prevents this big build-up of traffic going into the village, going out of the village, and coming off the link road.

“The principle of it is good, but they need other traffic sequences coming out of Douglas Village on to the link road from past Dunnes.

“That needs to be looked at because they’re obviously not in sync and it’s causing traffic chaos in Douglas,” Mr Finn added.