Public have their say on Cork Luas route in consultations

When the preferred route for the 20km light rail in Cork city was launched last month, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) said the first trams could run in Cork by 2036 “subject to funding and permission”.

Paolo Carbone, TII head of light rail projects, said public consultation on the preferred route will run until June 12, after which TII will consider the feedback and refine the revised route.

“It is envisaged that we will submit a railway order, which is our planning, in early 2028,” he said.

Allowing a year for An Coimisiún Pleanála to grant planning permission, Mr Carbone said the project would then go to tender, with construction hopefully beginning by 2031, taking probably five years to build.

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

The preferred route refines last year’s emerging preferred route (EPR), with the majority of the new plan’s major changes occurring on the western end of the route, starting 2km further to the west in Ballincollig. The most significant changes, however, are in Bishopstown.

In the EPR, the Luas ran down Melbourn Rd, turning from Curraheen Rd onto Bishopstown Rd, passing the front of Cork University Hospital (CUH), before turning left at the Wilton roundabout.

Now, in the preferred route, the line will turn left and east at the northern end of Melbourn Rd, running uphill past Bishopstown Community School, Ballinaspig Lawn, Bishopstown GAA, Highfield Rugby Club, Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh, and St Columba’s Convent.

WILTON AVENUE

The route will then turn into CUH before cutting through several back gardens on the eastern side of Wilton Avenue, and emerging at the front of the hospital before continuing to the Wilton roundabout.

Last week saw two dramatic interventions on the Luas debate, both concerning Bishopstown GAA Club.

In the first, Bishopstown GAA Club told its members that the preferred route was “completely unacceptable”, vowing to fight it “to the very end”.

After that, Jerry Buttimer, Fine Gael TD for Cork South Central and minister of state at the Department of Transport, said he was “not happy” with the route, and told TII there needed to be “meaningful engagement” with local clubs and all stakeholders.

Those interventions came as the first two of a planned four open days took place, with TII staff on hand to meet local residents and “stakeholders” — expect to hear that word a lot over the coming months — and discuss with them the proposed Luas route.

Last week’s open days occurred on Wednesday in the Kingsley in Victoria Cross, and on Thursday in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Attendance appeared brisk enough at both events. John Mullins, from Bishopstown Avenue, said he thought the preferred route had shown “a lot of consideration” in avoiding demolition of homes.

PAINSTAKING

“It might have been very easy for them to knock a house or two, but no, it is very obvious that TII have taken painstaking trouble to avoid demolishing homes, or keeping it to a minimum,” he said.

Pat Guiry, who is moving to Bishopstown and the area around Bishopstown GAA Club, said it had come as a surprise to learn the Luas would be coming within 100 metres of his new home.

“It will be a huge bonus to have the Luas in the area, and it’ll get cars off the roads, but short term the noise and disruption will cause problems,” he said.

“Long term, it will be great for the city.”

Paul, a resident of Churchyard Lane on the eastern end of the route, said locals in the Ballintemple area would be affected by changes to traffic flow, and the planned destruction of The Venue Bar.

“That’s going to be a huge loss as the local watering hole, but it’s going to be 10 years minimum, and it might never happen, if the delays to the Children’s Hospital are anything to go by,” he said.

“Fifteen or 20 years might be a better guess.”

A woman, who gave her name as Caroline, said she was from Skehard Rd and was not looking forward to the likely disruption caused by the construction work on the project.

“We’ve already had a lot of roadworks to contend with, but bottom line it is progress, but I would like to see more work done on the existing public transport service,” she said.

“I suppose it will be a positive for the area when it’s finished, whenever that is.”

Peter Collins, a Maryville resident, said the revised route was an improvement, with his road no longer affected, but he sympathised with others impacted by it.

“By and large, I think it’s a good thing,” Mr Collins said.

“It’s the younger folk who will benefit from it more than my generation, but I think it’ll be a positive for the city.”

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 overwhelmingly 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 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.

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

The second will be tomorrow, Wednesday, May 13, in the Metropole Hotel, from midday until 8pm.