Cork sports club vows to fight Luas route 'to the end' 

A Cork sports club has vowed to fight the proposed route for the Cork Luas, which will run through its grounds, “to the end”.

The preferred route for the proposed light rail service was published three weeks ago, refining last year’s emerging preferred route (EPR), with the greatest changes occurring on the western end of the route, in Ballincollig and Bishopstown.

By far the most significant alteration is in Bishopstown, where the revised route will now turn east at the northern end of Melbourn Rd, running uphill past Bishopstown Community School and cutting through the grounds of Bishopstown GAA and Highfield Rugby Club.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has said the preferred route as “the worst-case scenario”, promising to engage with stakeholders.

However, following a meeting with TII, Bishopstown GAA sent a message to members saying it was clear to them the preferred route was the only one being considered.

“This is completely unacceptable to our club. We will fight this and we will fight it to the very end,” the message said.

The Luas Cork project will see the light rail run a 20km route from Ballincollig in the west of the city, through the city centre, to Mahon Point in the east.

The project is currently projected to cost in the region of €2.5bn.

When the preferred route was launched last month, Paolo Carbone, TII head of light rail projects, said the first trams could run in Cork by 2036 “subject to funding and permission”.

He said he was hoping ground would be broken on Luas Cork before the 100th anniversary of the last trams running in Cork on September 30, 1931.

“Typically, a project of this scale takes five years to build,” Mr Carbone said.

“So, I hope to welcome you all in 2036 on the first tram.” 

With the latest round of non-statutory public consultation running until Friday, June 12, an open day was held yesterday by TII in the Kingsley Hotel in Victoria Cross, the first of four planned events.

During the open day, a steady stream of members of the public engaged with TII staff and inspected maps and drawings.

Caitríona McCarry, senior communications manager with TII, said there had been “a good variety of questions, but overwhelmingly a good support for the scheme, and a good support for Luas coming to Cork”.

She said some people who were facing impacts from the 20km light rail route had come in to speak with staff and the engagement had been largely positive.

“Our objective today is that everybody has enough information so that they can make a submission to the process, that’s what we’re encouraging everybody to do in these open days,” she said.

“We’re telling people we want to get everybody’s feedback, we want to hear what their thoughts are, what the challenges are that they can identify, and to bring that to the next stage of design.” 

Three further open days will take place across the city, the first of which will be from midday until 8pm today, Thursday, May 7, in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Next week will see two further open days, the first of which will be on Thursday, May 12, in the Carraig Centre in Ballincollig, running from midday until 8pm.

The second will be on Friday, May 13, in the Metropole Hotel on MacCurtain Street, from midday until 8pm.

TII was asked to respond to Bishopstown GAA Club's remarks, while a spokesperson for the club declined to give a comment.