Call to extend BusConnects consultation

A local representative in Cork has called on the National Transport Authority (NTA) to extend the timeline of the second round of public consultation on the emerging preferred BusConnects routes.

BusConnects Cork is a €600m programme of work that aims to transform the city’s bus system, making public transport more accessible to more people.

Labour Party Cork City area representative Peter Horgan said an extension of the timeline of the second round of public consultations on the proposals, which is currently under way, would allow for the publication of traffic modelling to be incorporated into submissions by the public.

“It was confirmed to me at this week’s public information event that traffic data and modelling is currently under way in Cork city and is due to be published in a number of weeks,” he said.

“That data should be in the public domain and help inform submissions and not be held back to the statutory consultation.

“BusConnects is an evolving process at this stage still, but it is vital we have all data relevant to it available for people to frame their submissions. Extend the timelines to ensure people are able to make informed submissions.”

The second non-statutory public consultation on BusConnects’ sustainable transport corridors (STCs) is due to run until Thursday, May 25, making it an eight-week public consultation.

Public information events took place last week in communities across Cork where STCs are proposed, which gave members of the public a chance to meet with design engineers and NTA representatives to discuss their concerns.

An NTA spokesperson told The Echo, said: “Traffic surveys have been taking place across Cork City in recent weeks as part of the BusConnects Cork project.

“This will assist the project team in further understanding the data in relation to the current number of cars, cyclists, and pedestrians at different locations across Cork.

“The NTA will also be undertaking detailed traffic modelling where we will seek to predict how traffic flows might behave if the proposed STCs are implemented. This will happen at a later stage in the project.”