Byroads turning into bottlenecks as people try to avoid Macroom

MOTORISTS are so desperate to avoid traffic delays in Macroom town centre that they are creating bottlenecks on the many by-roads surrounding the town, a councillor has claimed.

Cllr Michael Creed (FG) raised the issue of the worsening traffic situation in Macroom at a recent Macroom Municipal District meeting and said the traffic situation is ‘absolutely appalling.’

‘I don’t know if we can do much about it as it can take me half an hour, if not more, to get through in the morning. When the traffic moves, it moves very well in both directions but then there is a build up inside from the hospital cross up to the square and then it moves again,’ said Cllr Creed.

Cllr Creed asked if there was any chance that they could  talk to the gardaí to get them to help with the flow of traffic in the town centre.

‘The town is a complete bottleneck and no wants to drive through it and every by road and other road around the town is nearly becoming bottlenecked, too, as people try to avoid the town centre and are turning around.’

His colleague Cllr Ted Lucey agreed with Cllr Creed’s comments about the traffic situation and pointed out that they have three sets of traffic lights in the town.

‘One goes on and another goes off and they can’t synchronise them to be on at the same time,’ said Cllr Lucey.

Council officials said they would write to the superintendent in Macroom on the suggestion of helping with the traffic flow in the town.