Innishannon finally gets help to slow down speeding motorists

There has been good news for Innishannon residents with long-awaited traffic calming work underway, but Minane Bridge villagers are predicting gridlock as Council roadworks start

A TRAFFIC action group which formed in Innishannon in recent months has welcomed much-needed traffic calming and road resurfacing works in the village.

Speaking to The Southern Star, Joe Walsh of Innishannon Traffic Action Group (ITAG) said it is great to see these works taking place which will prioritise the safety of Innishannon’s children, elderly and other residents.

‘Our traffic speed surveys have shown that a large percentage of vehicles travel up and down Church Hill at excessive speeds and these works will help with the problem. We are also grateful to Cork County Council for their support on this project,’ said Joe.

The resurfacing works, which are being undertaken by Arkil Ltd, commenced recently on Church Hill at a section from the traffic lights at the junction of the main N71 road, past the Church Hill estate. Works are including road excavation and new footpath installation on the hill and a traffic light system is in operation to enable the road and footpath excavation and reinstatement.

Residents, pedestrians, cyclists and other road users are being reminded to make themselves aware that these works are being carried out and Arkil said they will endeavour to complete the works as soon as possible and it is programmed to take three months. 

Earlier this year, ITAG said the village was at risk of becoming the ‘Highway to West Cork’ due to speeding motorists, and said that over 16,000 vehicles pass through there every day.

The group, in conjunction with Irish Traffic Surveys Limited, carried out a one-week traffic speed and volume survey last year at three locations in the village. It revealed that more than 110,00 vehicles passed through the village during that period.

The survey also revealed that many motorists were travelling in excess of 100kph, while 85% of all traffic was travelling over 55kph, which is over the speed limit.

Their concerns about the volume of traffic was also highlighted weeks later when a car hit a row of parked cars outside Brookside Terrace on the Cork side of the village.

And residents of the terrace said this wasn’t the first time incidents like this occurred, with one resident having had four cars written off from traffic veering off the road there.