28 November 2020
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
The Green Party in Cork has welcomed the installation of protected cycle lanes on Alfred Street and Washington Street.
Works began this week on installing protective bollards at Alfred Street near the Kent Station. Works on Washington Street were completed earlier in the week.
Green Party councillor, Oliver Moran, said these were two of the most misused cycle lanes in the city:
“These two lanes were possibly the most infamous in the city for cars and taxis parking in them. Two new night-time taxi ranks were provided by Cork City Council earlier in the year at Grand Parade and Hanover Place. The new protected cycle lane on Washington Street will mean a clear and safe route for workers and students from the city centre to UCC. Very soon that route will be extended to CUH for medical workers too, making it particularly important at this time.
“The cycle lane at Albert Street was notorious for illegal parking. This lane will be essential to sustainable transport from the train station and the new ‘low- or no-car’ office and housing developments around it. It will be connected to the city centre as part of plans for Mac Curtain Street. That will also mean the Mercy Hospital and the train station being connected by a near continuous and protected cycle lanes by 2022.”
Cllr Moran said it had been a long campaign to have these lanes protected, led by cycling groups and supported by the Green Group on Cork City Council and other councillors like Fiona Ryan. The funding to do so is part of a COVID-19 stimulus programme of sustainable transport works announced by Green Party Minister Eamon Ryan.
