Feasibility study to explore potential traffic flow changes on Cork city's Blarney St to progress 

Cork City Council has appointed a consultant to assess options to reduce or discourage through vehicular traffic on Blarney St and Fair St on the northside of the city.

The update was provided by Fianna Fáil councillor in the North-West ward, Tony Fitzgerald, who said that these areas are part of 19 locations citywide included in a programme aimed at addressing traffic issues.

Mr Fitzgerald added that the purpose of the forthcoming feasibility study is not to specifically look at a one-way system for Blarney St.

“While this may be considered as part of a solution, the study needs to look at the street as a whole and the wider impact of any solution.

“I have been highlighting traffic issues on Blarney St for some time working with local residents and Blarney Street [and Surrounding Areas] Community Association”, he said.

The update comes as last February, the city council confirmed it had secured funding from the National Transport Authority (NTA) to carry out a feasibility study on Blarney St, following requests for a one-way system to be trialled in a bid to ease traffic gridlock.

“In response to request[s] for changes to the street, it was identified that a feasibility study would need to be undertaken to review what changes, if any, would improve the environment and consider the impacts in the surrounding area,” a spokesperson for the council told The Echo at the time.

“Cork City Council have secured funding from the NTA to look at the feasibility of improving locations where there is a perceived impediment to active travel where the provision of active travel measures or interventions may improve connectivity and encourage the uptake of active travel modes.

“The study will include a feasibility study on Blarney St to look at localised traffic, through-traffic, and parking issues.” 

The spokesperson added that any potential works are “location-specific” and “subject to feasibility and design consultants’ recommendations as well as further grants from the NTA to undertake the proposed works”.

It is understood that public consultation with residents would take place during this process. 

Chairman of Blarney Street and Surrounding Areas Community Association, Tom Coleman, has made repeated calls for a one-way system to be trialled, saying the street has become “choked with traffic”. 

He said that traffic issues on Blarney St - ostensibly the longest street in the country - is an “urgent” matter that must be addressed.