Pothole-ridden roads across Cork county likened to a 'lunar landscape'   

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) chiefs have been told that Cork County Council urgently needs nearly €100m to resurface national secondary roads in its region, some of which are so pothole-ridden that they are like driving “on a lunar landscape”.

The need to progress new road projects in the area was also outlined to senior TII officials in Dublin by a high-powered council delegation, led by chief executive Moira Murrell and some of her senior officials and councillors representing each of the local authority’s eight municipal districts.

They highlighted the poor state of several main roads in the county.

They told TII that 67km of national roads are in urgent need of resurfacing and some of their cores would also need replacing as they were constructed more than 100 years ago when donkeys and carts were the main mode of transport. The cores are crumbling and cannot take the weight of modern HGVs.

It is estimated that it will cost around €1.4m to tackle each kilometre, meaning a total bill of €93.8m.

Among the worst roads is the N72 between Fermoy and the Waterford county bounds at Tallow.

Lunar landscape

The council’s director of roads and transportation, Padraig Barrett, said it is so bad that it is like driving “on a lunar landscape”.

The section of the main Cork-to-Mallow road (N20) is also pothole-ridden and has been the subject of numerous complaints from motorists and councillors alike for many months.

There are also parts of the N71, which is the only main road in West Cork, which are in dire need of attention, and sections of the N73, which runs through North Cork into Kerry.

Bantry-based Independent Ireland councillor Danny Collins said that parts of the N71 are “not fit for purpose” at Owenahincha, Aughadown, Church Cross, Sparagradda, and Letterlickey.

He called for more passing bays to be developed to let car owners safely overtake tractors and HGVs.

Mr Collins said plans for a Bantry bypass have been on the agenda for 40 years, and it is now time for TII to provide funding.

The council delegation also stressed the vital need to progress new road projects and for TII to continually fund them in order to bring them to fruition.

Upgrading of route

These include the upgrading of the route between Carrigtwohill and Midleton, which is already at traffic capacity and will have to cope with the extra volumes generated by the two towns being earmarked for the biggest housing developments in the county.

Council officials have acknowledged that “in a best-case scenario”, with adequate funding and planning permission, it could take 10 years to complete that project.

The need to upgrade the road from Midleton to Youghal, which is often gridlocked in the villages of Castlemartyr and Killeagh, was also highlighted.

The delegation also pressed for adequate funding to complete proper bypasses in Bandon, Clonakilty, and the northern relief road in Mallow.

The Mayor of County Cork Bernard Moynihan said as TII’s preparing its budgets for next year, it was important for the local authority to get its voice heard now.

“The case for continued investment in our transport network and strategic infrastructure was clearly made,” Mr Moynihan said.

“We look forward to continuing our constructive engagement with TII in support of the safe, sustainable, and economic development of the region.”