IT was confirmed that a design report for an upgrade of the pedestrian crossing in Leap is being finalised at a recent meeting of the Western Committee, where Padraig Barrett of Cork County Council confirmed that proposals have been submitted to Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) for approval.
As a national route, the N71 falls under the remit of the TII.
The news was provided as part of an update of the Council’s roads and transportation programme to local representatives, as updates on various lighting issues across the region were also given in the same meeting.
Concerns were raised universally over the delay in advancing the proposed footpath to the national park in Glengarriff, as Cllr Danny Collins (Ind Ire) pointed out that it had ‘been going on since 2016.’
In his report, Mr Barrett said the identification of a preferred route adjacent to the N71 road, ‘remains challenging given the environmental constraints in the area.’ Mr Barrett said an analysis of a topographical survey and the environmental constraints was completed in June 2024 but this limits the construction of a footpath along the N71 from the village to the hostel only.
‘At least that would be a start,’ Cllr Collins responded.
‘I have spoken to organisations and they would welcome that because it would be 40% of the journey to the nature reserve’. This sentiment was shared by his party colleague, Cllr Finbarr Harrington.
Meanwhile, Cllr Collins also complained about the lack of public lighting at Marino Street in Bantry.
He asked: ‘Why does it take so long to get something so simple done? If this was above in Dalkey, there are lights everywhere, it would be done in a week or so.’ Cllr Collins said the company that ‘does the lights should be held accountable. The lights are just standing there. It is pathetic and frustrating. People are saying we as public representatives are not doing our job.’
Cllr John Michael Foley (FG) said more lighting is needed in Timoleague up to the cemetery and on Wood Road up towards the church.
‘There are no lights in the cemetery,’ he said, ‘funerals and removals go up there at night and the road surface isn’t good.
It is dark and dangerous for people, especially older people, walking behind the hearse.’ Elsewhere, residents at Schull Road in Skibbereen have complained about the lack of lighting at the New Bridge in Skibbereen, and the adjacent Abbeystrewry graveyard.
Cork County Council acknowledged that the lights in this particular area have become faulty, and, as a result, it has been decommissioned for safety reasons but said that they would identify the associated costs and explore funding opportunities.
Mr Barrett acknowledged that additional lighting is needed throughout the county, but he said all new lights have to be energy efficient.
‘We have designs for every area, so we know where the gaps are,’ Mr Barrett stated.
‘The designs show where additional investment will be needed in the years ahead. There are dangerous corners and junctions that need lighting – we will try and reduce that number in the years ahead,’ he added.
On the subject of money, Cllr Harrington was of the opinion that ‘TII are leaving us short-changed. Our workers are filling potholes with cold tar but that doesn’t last.
‘Can we lean on the TII so we could do a tar and chip to cover long stretches of these roads?’ he asked. ‘We are only getting a limited amount of ‘black top’ surface and that is putting pressure on our own area offices. It’s like a farmer trying to stop a river with a three-prong pike!’
Cllr Caroline Cronin (FG) said it is great to see all the work that is being done as part of the roads and transportation programme but she said the Bantry to Ballydehob road, from the garage to the village, is in a terrible state and is deteriorating.
‘It’s getting worse and worse in the bad weather so we would like to see something done,’ she said.
Cllr Daniel Sexton (Ind Ire) welcomed the fact that €5.8m has been spent on active travel projects in the western division, but he called for additional funding under the National Transport Authority’s ‘safe routes to school’ scheme because so many schools are looking for this.
West Cork divisional manager Michael Lynch reminded the councillors of the reality of having to exist within a financial constrained regime.
He welcomed the significant funding provided this year under the regional and local roads funding scheme, plus what is to be allocated under the national road funding scheme and said: ‘There will always be more work to be done.’
