Light at the end of the Caha Tunnel?

KERRY County Council has responded to a request from their West Cork counterparts, who want the Caha Tunnel to be lit from within.

Municipal District Officer Jacqueline Mansfield said the Kerry public representatives have submitted a notice of motion to discuss the matter at one of their meetings.

The plan is for the two local authorities to petition Transport Infrastructure Ireland to pay for the installation of LED lights in the tunnel, which links Cork and Kerry.

The issue was first raised by Cllr Danny Collins (Ind) who said there had been ‘too many near misses to ignore the danger any longer.’

While the boundary line is in the middle, Cllr Collins said the tunnel is under the control of Kerry County Council – they maintain it.

Engineer Ruth O’Brien said there is very clear signage for motorists to yield to oncoming traffic through the tunnel but people are ignoring it.

But Cllr Collins pointed out that it is dark in the daytime and people, who forget to put on their lights, get a fright. And it’s worse at night.

He said the tunnel, which was built in the 1840s, is used by cyclists and bus operators and requires lighting for safety reasons.

Cllr Joe Carroll (FF), a former bus driver, said new Bus Éireann routes from Skibbereen to Killarney have increased traffic volumes.

‘One driver told me there was nearly fisticuffs because a car wouldn’t go back and the bus couldn’t go back,’ according to Cllr Carroll.

‘You can’t have arguments in the middle of the tunnel. Something has to be done about it,’ said the Fianna Fáil councillor who favours a ‘stopgo’ system to allow drivers to take turns accessing the tunnel.