Glanmire campaign group urges rethink on Northern Distributor road

A local campaign group is urging residents, businesses, and community groups in Glanmire to oppose the proposed eastern access point of the Cork Northern Distributor Road.

The campaign, Save Glanmire from Gridlock, is calling attention to the proposed eastern access point of the project. It makes provision for a primary access point between Vienna Woods and the Grotto, which would pass through a wooded hillside to connect the four-lane distributor road to the centre of Glanmire.

The group says the proposed route will result in severe traffic congestion, environmental harm, and long-term disruption to the community.

A secondary connection has also been proposed between The Barn and New Inn National School, which the campaign group says would have a negative impact on the safety of children and local residents.

Speaking to The Echo, a spokesperson for Save Glanmire from Gridlock said: “People do welcome the Northern Distributor Road, that’s a road that’s badly needed, but what’s surprising for people in Glanmire is the eastern access point.

“It’s quite a small road, and to get down to it would require a lot of destruction to woodland. People are shocked, most people were expecting it to go north of Glanmire. The concerns that we have is the impact that this will have on Glanmire, [because] that road is already very congested,” said the spokesperson.

“To land a four-lane road there, with additional vehicles and trucks, it doesn’t make sense — it’s quite concerning for people, it would make Glanmire far more congested from a traffic standpoint.

“If traffic was coming from the northside and trying to access this end [of the city] from the eastern side, it’s unlikely that a truck would go all the way down into this access point and through the Dunkettle Interchange — most people would expect that truck would get off at New Inn and go down Barnavara Hill, to avoid congestion,” they added.

“There are many other consequences of it — more traffic will start coming into Glanmire, and we’re already seeing lots of trucks doing that from the existing ring road. Glanmire roads are not set up for that.

“The campaign is to make people aware and to encourage them to input into the public consultation. Our message is to request that the city council considers alternate routes that wouldn’t have a detrimental effect on Glanmire.”

A community information event, hosted by the Save Glanmire from Gridlock group, will take place tomorrow evening from 7.30pm at the Glanmire GAA Club.

The deadline for feedback submissions on the Cork Northern Distributor Road has been set for April 10.

For more information on the Cork Northern Distributor Road, visit: https://shorturl.at/XQZu1, or to make a submission to the consultation process, visit: https://shorturl.at/YsUif.