2 November 2017
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Bandon Southern Relief Road needs to be prioritised in National Investment Plan
Bandon has a relief road (known locally as “the bypass”) however the project was never fully completed. It allows traffic to bypass the Main street, but stops short. Traffic still has to pass – for example – The Poachers Inn and use a congested ghost roundabout by the Kevin O’Leary Centra Garage.
Cork Senator, Tim Lombard, is now calling for new investment in the proposed continuation of the existing road.
The proposal to extend the Bandon Southern Relief Road involves constructing a bridge over the R603 (Road to Kilbrittain), which would override the existing steep terrain, after which a 2.5 km single carriageway would be built connecting to the western side of the town.
Senator Tim Lombard said: “The need to prioritise the Bandon Southern Relief Road is of upmost importance.
“Bandon is the gateway to West Cork; anyone wishing to go west has to travel through the town. If we can increase the potential for traffic to flow more easily through Bandon there will be a broader economic benefit to the whole of West Cork.
Senator Tim Lombard began his political career as a Cork County Cllr and is now a Senator.
“One of the key issues for Bandon city itself is the sheer volume of traffic. On a daily basis anything between 9,000 and 14,000 vehicles travel through the city centre and are consequently choking the town.
“A significant portion of this traffic also comprises of heavy goods vehicles, whose size and capacity are unsuited to passing through the town centre, which only intensifies congestion levels.
Sidebar: Click here for planning report
“The need for this traffic diversion has been recognised and proposed for many years. I have raised this issue in the Seanad a number of times, and again this week during a debate with the Minister for Transport Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross TD.
“I asked the Minister to prioritise the Bandon Southern Relief Road as a key infrastructural project for the development, sustainability, and connectivity of Bandon and all of West Cork.
“Expected population increases for West Cork and Bandon in particular will only escalate the current issues. We need to swiftly develop plans to divert traffic from the city centre so Bandon and the rest of West Cork can develop in accordance with its potential.
“The approximate cost of the project is some €7.5 million and would represent a major investment in facilitating the development of the area. I would hope to see the capital budget for the Ten-Year Investment Plan increased so that this project, and other like it, can be prioritised, allocated funding, and completed in a timely manner.”
Above: View headed Westbound: At the end of the hill, cars must currently turn right. If the bypass continued traffic would proceed straight (through current fields)
Above: This congested ghost roundabout would be avoided by the extended bypass.