Councillor stresses need for traffic calming measures in Cork city housing estate 

The need for traffic-calming measures to be installed at the Shournagh Grove housing estate in Togher was raised by Sinn Féin councillor Joe Lynch at the most recent meeting of Cork City Council.

In his motion, Mr Lynch asked if the council was aware of the road safety concerns of residents of Shournagh Grove in Togher that the estate is being used as a short-cut by motorists to bypass the Togher Rd/Clashduv Rd junction.

Given that the estate had not been taken in charge by road operations, he asked if the council’s housing directorate would arrange for the installation of appropriate traffic calming measures in the estate, in consultation with the residents.

Serious road safety issue

“This is a serious road safety issue, given the number of motorists using Deanrock Avenue and Shournagh Grove to bypass the Togher Rd/Clashduv Rd junction,” said Mr Lynch.

“Given the number of young children in the estate, parents are justifiably concerned about the possibility of a collision involving their children, and are crying out for speed ramps to be installed.”

Replying to Mr Lynch’s motion, John Stapleton, director of services in the local area development and operations directorate, said that following the taking-in-charge process, Shournagh Grove will be added to the list of locations for assessment of traffic calming needs.

Mr Stapleton said: “Each year, roads operations present all requests for traffic calming to each LAC. Members then select locations in conjunction with the engineering advice received and subject to funds being available.

"Accordingly, the measures sought for Shournagh Grove can be brought forward through this established mechanism.”

Upgrade

Elsewhere in the locality, Independent councillor Paudie Dineen has confirmed that a junction upgrade has been approved at Tower St.

Concerns over the safety of the junction at Tower St and Friar’s Walk have been continuously raised.

Mr Dineen has confirmed that the junction will, “in the coming months, be upgraded in an effort to increase safety for all road users and pedestrians”.

As part of a road safety improvement scheme, Cork City Council has proposed the reconstruction of the crossroads as a raised-table junction, with the improvement of junction sightlines by the removal of on-street parking. The upgrade will also see the reconstruction of footpaths at junction environs and the provision of uncontrolled crossings.