Cars careering off road on busy bridge ‘every three weeks’

AT LEAST once every three weeks a driver comes off the road at Coolatooder Bridge – a part of the R589 regional road that connects the Halfway to Bandon. 

That is according to local reports Cllr Gillian Coughlan (FF) has received about dangerous incidents on the heavily trafficked road. There has been a ‘bubbling up of concern from constituents and road users’, she said. 

‘A woman who lives at Coolatooder Bridge said that at least once every three weeks she is out across the road from her house in her father’s field attending to somebody who has left the road.’ 

And there have been several other reports of lorries jack-knifing and cars capsizing, she said. ‘It is very dangerous, not only for road users, but for residents along there as well,’ said Cllr Coughlan. 

This accident blackspot at Coolatooder Bridge is now being examined by Cork County Council’s Roads Directive. 

However, Cllr Coughlan believes that the entire road is hazardous, as there have been numerous traffic incidents on several sections of the road including – Crossbarry, Killeady Bridge, and Brinny Bridge. 

‘I had a number of constituents contact me about near misses and very serious traffic incidents on the Crossbarry Road and while the Crossbarry village itself has often been a feature of our meetings and the Crossbarry Bridge, I think to just focus in on just Brinny Bridge or just Crossbarry Bridge or Killeady probably is missing the point that the entire road is very heavily trafficked,’ she said.

The road is heavily trafficked with lots of heavy-goods vehicles, workers, farmers, and schoolchildren travelling on it every day, she said. And there have been a number of traffic incidents there this summer alone. 

Cllr Coughlan put forward a motion at a recent meeting of the Western Divisional Committee to extend the remit of the Roads Directive to examine and improve the whole R589 road. 

The road is covered by two municipal districts – the eastern side of the road is in the Carrigaline Municipal District. And this area is currently being examined by the Roads Directive. 

However, the western side of the road, in the Bandon-Kinsale Municipal District remains unaddressed. ‘The entire road really needs to be addressed and safety audit really needs to be undertaken,’ Cllr Coughlan said.  

The motion was supported by Cllr Sean O’Donovan (FF), Cllr Kevin Murphy (FG), and Cllr Paul Hayes (Ind). 

West Cork Divisional Manager Clodagh Henehan said she will highlight the matter with the Roads Directive and she will ask them to extend their remit the western side of the
road.