Bandon ‘moon’ resurfacing is one small step for N71

A NOTORIOUS stretch of the N71 outside Bandon, described by one West Cork TD as like ‘the surface of the moon’ is being resurfaced.

Improvement works will take place at 12 locations on the N71 between Innishannon and Gaggin junction, something public representatives have been seeking for years.

At a pre-election meeting of Bandon Kinsale Municipal District, senior executive engineer Richard Cahill told councillors that funding had been secured from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and that the main section of works would take place west of Finbarr Galvin’s garage and will involve the resurfacing of 750m of that road.

That work started last week and is due to finish this Friday. A traffic management plan is in place. ‘The N71 needs significant investment and this is very much welcome and needed,’ Mr Cahill said.

Cllr John O’Sullivan (FG) who, along with other councillors. raised this issue on numerous occasions, welcomed the funding to fix this dangerous, uneven, stretch of road, while Cllr Sean O’Donovan (FF) thanked the local engineers for pushing the case for this road. A Council spokesperson told The Southern Star that 10 of the 12 locations will have the work carried out at night to reduce the impact on road users.

Cork South West Fianna Fáil TD Christopher O’Sullivan has described this section of road outside Bandon as similar to the surface of the moon.

‘It won’t cover the full section between Bandon and Gaggin but it’s certainly a start,’ he said.

Fine Gael Senator Tim Lombard said he quizzed Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan in the Seanad on roads funding inequality. The same day, Deputy O’Sullivan said he facilitated a meeting between Cork councillors and Minister of State at the Dept of Transport, Jack Chambers.

A delegation led by county mayor Cllr Frank O’Flynn, including West Cork councillors Declan Hurley and Joe Carroll and other Council officials, met with Minister Chambers in Dublin before the local elections to discuss the dire need for more funding for Cork county.

Cllr Declan Hurley (Ind) said it was important for the delegation to outline the shocking and unacceptable condition of the roads in the county ‘We outlined in detail the impact of historical underfunding of our road network and presented a strong argument for extra funding to repair and maintain roads across Co Cork. We now await the minister’s response.’