BusConnects plans for Mayfield receive plenty of online

MORE than 100 online observations have been made to the latest round of the public consultation on the BusConnects Cork Sustainable Transport Corridors in relation to the corridor linking Mayfield to the city.

Last November, the National Transport Authority (NTA) published updated proposals for eleven sustainable transport corridors (STCs) as part of the BusConnects Cork programme for a third round of public consultation.

It followed changes to the design for the plan brought about as a result of previous consultation.

Among the changes to the Mayfield to Cork city STC was the removal of the proposed cycle tracks on Colmcille Avenue and their replacement by a quiet street cycle route on nearby streets.

The third round of consultation concluded just before Christmas with close to 800 online observations made on the latest plans including 101 submissions on the Mayfield to city STC from a range of parties.

Concerns

A large number of residents from Colmcille Avenue and Iona Park made submissions noting their objections to plans to replace the current 208 bus route along Colmcille Avenue and Iona Park with the new 21 route, citiing concern over the omission of Cork University Hospital on that route in the future.

Concerns were also raised about the proposed frequency of the service.

This was also highlighted in a number of submissions from public representatives in the area.

One observation from by “concerned residents of Colmcille Ave, Iona Park, Iona Green, Iona Road, Iona Place, Inis Eoghin & surrounding areas” said that “cognisance must be taken of the reality of the negative impact of the proposed change on the everyday lives of people in our area”.

The submission added: “we call on BusConnects, once again, to do so by adopting the residents proposal to run the 2B route down Iona Park and Colmcille Avenue, i.e. keeping the same route as the current 208.”

Submissions were also made by groups including the Summerhill North Residents’ Association who acknowledged the positive engagement they have had with the NTA on the planned STC to date.

However, the group raised concerns in relation to “potential unintended consequences of the BusConnects proposals on St Luke’s Avenue and York Hill” including that the proposed closing of York Hill to through traffic which they said may result in traffic diverting southwards down St. Luke’s Avenue.

They asked the NTA to take these into consideration and “address in the next design iteration”.

Prior to the most recent consultation, the NTA said that it will be reviewing all submissions in the third round of public consultation and following this, it will finalise the Preferred Route Options for all eleven corridors.

The online observations made on the project can be viewed on the NTA’s website.

NTA statement

A spokesperson for the NTA said the planned changes to the bus services network in Cork (Cork Network Redesign), including the changes to the current 208 bus service, is not part of the public consultation on the Sustainable Transport Corridors. However, the spokesperson added: “During the consultation process on the proposed Sustainable Transport Corridors, the planned changes to the 208 service were raised by residents of Colmcille Avenue, Mayfield. We have agreed to meet with a delegation from the Colmcille Avenue area on their bus service concerns early in the new year.”