‘Fix Cork’s footpaths’: Calls for safer, more useable and accessible city

CORK CITY COUNCIL needs to “sort out the city” and make its footpaths “safe, useable, and accessible”.

That’s according to Labour Party local election candidate Peter Horgan who has called on the local authority to carry out repairs to damaged footpaths and fix what he has described as a “breaking” Cork city.

The candidate for the Cork City South-East ward pointed to specific locations of concern, including the Old Carrigaline Road in Douglas where an exposed steel spike and loose brick are causing people to trip; Main Street in Douglas where the lips of a manhole cover are protruding, making it a trip hazard, and where disintegrated tactile tiles are exposed; and Albert Road where uneven footpath heights are causing difficulty for those with mobility issues.

“The steel spike sticking out of the footpath on the Old Carrigaline Road has been there since before November last,” Mr Horgan claimed.

“A woman rang me about it recently. She tripped on it and it went right through her runner.

“I flagged this back in December with the council and it’s still not done.”

Mr Horgan joined John Maher, Labour Party councillor in the Cork City North-East ward, in calling for a full audit of footpaths in the city centre and its suburbs to determine what repair works need to be carried out.

“We first need to get a list of what repairs are needed,” Mr Horgan said. “Tell us exactly how much it is to bring Cork city up to code.

“And we’re not looking for shiny, fancy new footpaths, we’re looking for repairs for footpaths to be made safe, useable and accessible.

“Nobody is saying it’s a simple solution but there seems to be a lack of enthusiasm or urgency to deal with this kind of stuff. Sort out the city. Take the funding to fix the city because it is breaking down. This idea of ‘a city rising’ isn’t credible anymore because it’s a city breaking. We need to be more proactive.”

Cork City Council statement

A Cork City Council spokesperson told The Echo the footpath remedial budget is targeted at sections of public footpath most in need of replacement and that the council’s approach is to identify and upgrade sections of footpath which are in the most challenging condition.

“We will continue to assess and identify sections of footpath in need of repair and replacement on an ongoing basis,” they said.

“Cork City Council is very conscious of the need to ensure that every effort is made to facilitate vulnerable road users and people with disabilities to access and get around the city.”

Motion

Mr Maher, who recently put forward a motion to Cork City Council asking for an audit of all footpaths, said: “This is another area where central government is starving local government of funding to carry out essential works.

“Footpaths both northside and southside and our city centre are in terrible co

ndition. Look at pedestrian crossings on Patrick Street and Grand Parade as one example,” he said.

“In a time when we are telling people to walk, cycle, or use public transport, the quality should be better. We have little issue paying out compensation for people who fall but we need to fix the problem once and for all — establish a funding stream … and get better footpaths for the people of Cork.”

In response to Mr Maher’s motion, Cork City Council said surveying the more than three million square metres of footpaths in the city would be a “mammoth task that would require substantial human resources to carry out”.

The local authority also questioned the benefits of expending such “very significant resources on such a survey” and said it believes the money would be better spent tackling known issues that have been identified with footpaths across the city.

A council spokesperson said issues with footpaths at specific locations should be reported by emailing servicecentre@corkcity.ie or by calling 021 4924000.