Presented below is the text of the submission in relation to the Cork-to-Limerick motorway on behalf of the Cork Commuter Coalition. (15/01/21)
The Cork Commuter Coalition is a citizens’ group advocating for improved public transport and sustainable mobility in the Cork City region. Below is our submission in relation to the Cork to Limerick motorway.
To begin, we would like to state that we are opposed to the concept of this project. Our mission statement supports sustainable transportation that removes cars from the road, not one that engages in transportation policy from a bygone era. This project is going to make achieving Ireland’s climate targets more difficult, which are a necessity if we as a nation are to successfully play our part in tackling climate change. Almost 20% of Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation, with 95% of that coming from private road transportation.
This motorway project is also going to make Ireland’s Project 2040 mobility targets more difficult to achieve. We also fear that the reality of induced demand for motor projects such as this is going to render its effectiveness moot within a short period of time, leading to further congestion, gridlock, and degradation of our urban environments.
However the political reality is that this project is going ahead, and therefore we wish for this to proceed in the least harmful way, insofar as that is possible. As such, we support other measures to support sustainable mobility to accompany this project, such as major investment in rail transportation, pedestrianization, and cycling in the town and city areas which this project will affect.
Given that there is a general commitment on behalf of the government to place more investment in public transport than motor transport, we would hope that this is followed by a corresponding investment in pedestrianization and cycle measures in towns of Mallow, Charleville, and others. Other small towns across Europe serve as a model for creating robust mobility plans that can easily be adapted to Ireland. One potential investigation could be the pedestrianization of the ‘main street’ areas in these towns. Similarly, replacement of on-street parking with cycle lanes, and the placement of bicycle parking in these towns would be a positive step forward in ensuring these places are vibrant and lively places to live.
In relation to the project itself, we would also like the NTA to Investigate the use of a bus lane hard shoulder on this road for use by various intercity bus services. We’ve seen elsewhere in the world, such as London and Belfast, that even in highly motorized environments, additional bus lanes such as these provide time benefits and incentivizes public transport usage, all while ensuring that the road remains safe.
We also recognize that this is an opportune time to invest in rail transportation between Cork and Limerick. There currently exists no direct Cork to Limerick train service. This project would be improved significantly if accompanied by this service, which can also continue on to Galway, as well as further north should the Western Rail Corridor be completed. This can be accomplished by making necessary upgrades at Limerick Junction, where passengers are currently required to change trains in order to travel between the two cities. The creation of a
direct service will improve connectivity between the two regions, improving ease of access, and aid the Munster growth pole to successfully counter the dominance of the Dublin Region.
The Cork to Limerick rail line is a vital piece of infrastructure for both cities, and we are glad that this centrality has been recognized in other transportation plans, such as CMATS. As such, we would hope that this could also expedite the construction of stations through CMATS, notably at Blarney/Stoneview, Monard, and Blackpool/Kilbarry, all of which lie along the Cork-Limerick train line. Beginning the construction of these stations sooner rather than later will allow fast, reliable public transport to be accessible to thousands of people who currently lack it. We also support the reopening of the station at Buttevant, a town which currently lies upon the main rail line, though has no station. This would be a relatively easy move to make rail transport easier to access for those who live in rural Cork.
Though not strictly the domain of a Cork-based group, as supporters of a stronger national rail network, we were disappointed that the Limerick-Shannon Metropolitan Area Transportation Strategy (LSMATS) was so lacking in development of train stations within the Limerick City region, especially as Limerick is fortunate enough to have a train line run through major urban centres in the city region. As such, we encourage the NTA to re-examine the feasibility of new train stations within the Limerick City areas, and a rail spur to Shannon Town and Shannon Airport. Other aspects of LSMATS, such as the double-tracking and potential electrification, should also be examined as to whether these can be accelerated in terms of delivery.
While we acknowledge that this is primarily a consultation for a road-based project, it would be negligent for the government to not consider accompanying this with significant investment in public transportation and sustainable mobility in the Cork and Limerick regions.
Yours,
Members of the Cork Commuter Coalition
Cork Commuter Coalition 