Cork Commuter Coalition calls for directly-elected Mayor

A second plebiscite for a directly-elected Mayor of Cork is one of the recommendations contained within the expansive Cork Commuter Coalition’s general election manifesto.

Described by the group as being “both ambitious and reasonable”, it sets out a range of goals with improvements to public transport also high on its agenda.

Founded in 2020, the coalition is an advocacy group aimed at improving public transport and active travel throughout the Cork Metropolitan Area.

Its election manifesto said the most pressing transportation issue for public transport users is the “significant unreliability of the bus network within Cork”.

It states: “Ghost buses are chronic throughout the city and suburbs, causing severe reputational damage to both Bus Éireann and to Cork city as a whole.”

The coalition is calling for an end to bus schedule cuts and a significant increase in the hiring of drivers, including through the mechanisms of improved wages and work conditions. It is also seeking a political commitment to following through on BusConnects, including seeking planning permission for Core Bus Corridors within the first year of Government.

Crisis management task force

They also want the appointment of a crisis management task force and urge the incoming government to examine the permanent spin-off into a separate operating company in the long term, similar to Dublin Bus.

“Antisocial behaviour acts as a real deterrent to the safe use of public transport,” they said, calling for a dedicated, full-time security force on public transport services operating within Cork as well as a substantial increase in public lighting at bus stops and train stations.

Another section of the publication focuses on road safety measures, welcoming the recent decision to split the RSA into two separate authorities, and seeking an expansion of speed cameras, further development of an online portal for reporting illegal parking, and the introduction of public realm wardens with the ability to issue fines.

Luas

The proposed Cork Luas system plays a prominent role in their plans, with the coalition asking all parties to commit to succinct, well-informed consultation and a targeted delivery date of 2032.

“The All-Island Strategic Rail Review is an ambitious strategy promising a Cork city that is well connected to key points in Munster, and Ireland as a whole,” they continued, suggesting that this could be expanded to include rail links to West Cork and Cork Airport.

The coalition welcomed recent active travel and public realm projects, but called for further funding for resurfacing, as well as for disability groups to be involved in project design, and an inclusive mobility assessment to be mandatory for planning.

Bus station

It said that one notable area for improvement is the Parnell Place bus station, which they described as “a drab site that has become a haven of unsafety, with a dank interior and basic public amenities, such as toilets and seats, that are cordoned off from public use”.

“We are calling for a complete revamp of Parnell Place bus station into a welcoming transport hub to accompany the planned increase in bus services.”

The report also calls for better bike parking, significant expansion of the TFI Bikes scheme, the reversal of the ban on e-scooters on public transport, and for planning permission to be sought within a year for improved cycle lanes promised under BusConnects.

It explained: “Many of the city’s cycle paths are not up to an acceptable standard to allow for safe usage, especially for children.

“Cycle lanes do not fully join up, often sending vulnerable road users into full traffic. Separation infrastructure is often of poor quality, if it exists at all.” 

A directly elected Mayor of Cork city would help to push all these changes, they said, requesting a second plebiscite on the matter is held.

“Cork is at a crossroads, and the policies and action of the next five years will play a major part in determining whether Cork will grow into its role as a counterbalance to Dublin, or continue to be sidelined by further years of poor spatial development,” it concluded.