A traffic bottleneck at North Street in Skibbereen could be rectified as part of a new community-led plan to improve the public realm near the Cathedral.
A TRAFFIC bottleneck at North Street in Skibbereen could be rectified as part of a new community-led plan to improve the public realm near the Cathedral.
‘Congestion and illegal parking, particularly during funerals and mass times, could impede emergency service vehicles because the road is 1.5m narrower at that point,’ Con McCarthy, who is a member of the Skibbereen Parish Assembly group, told The Southern Star.
As part of its plans to replace 40m of the traditional wrought iron railing running along the presbytery gardens, the Assembly came up with the idea of widening the road by moving the wall and railings back from the road and into the church gardens.
‘We are offering the Council 40sqm of land for nothing and we are willing to cover the cost of erecting the new railing, which means that the only cost the Council would incur is a new footpath and the resurfacing of the road,’ said Mr McCarthy.
He confirmed that the Assembly wrote to Cork County Council in October, outlining the proposal, and attended a subsequent meeting with the Council’s area engineer.
‘Despite sending numerous emails to the Council, the proposal has not been advanced,’ he said.
‘We are of the opinion that the work should be done sooner rather than later, because of the level of construction work being carried out throughout the town.The money to replace the railing is available at present, but if it is delayed, the money might be diverted elsewhere.’
The Assembly wants the Council to consider moving the footpath because it not only widens the road and improves access for emergency vehicles, it is also in keeping with tplans to improve the public realm works throughout the town, following the completion of the Flood Relief scheme.
See page 11 for more on North Street traffic.
