Cars being damaged on narrow Skibb street

BY JACKIE KEOGH

Paintwork is being scratched and cars are being dented as they try to navigate North Street in Skibbereen, according to Cllr Joe Carroll.

The Fianna Fáil councillor tabled a motion at a Municipal District of West Cork meeting which took place in Clonakilty, calling for a review of the traffic flow on the narrow Skibbereen street. 

The councillor described the pitiful sight of a visitor trying to back a camper van down North Street after being confronted with a truck on the road in front of him.

He said too many vehicles are being damaged for the Council to continue to ignore the problem.

Cllr Carroll said North Street was always hard to negotiate, but since the Council put bollards at the edge of the footpaths it is doubly difficult.

One possible solution, he said, would be to control the traffic flow by placing traffic lights at either end of the street.

He said some people have suggested making North Street a one-way system, but not everyone would be in favour of that.

‘Whatever changes are made,’ he said, ‘they will have to be done in consultation with the business people in North Street. 

‘When the bollards weren’t there,’ he added, ‘cars and trucks could go up on the footpath to let the oncoming vehicle pass. But they can’t do that anymore.’