SOLUTIONS at two traffic pinch points in Skibbereen where motorists can wait up to 20 minutes to move a matter of metres are urgently required, according to Cllr Brendan McCarthy (FG).
It can take 20 minutes to get from the Baltimore Road roundabout, at one end of Townshend Street, to the top at Dillon’s Corner at the other, he stated at the monthly meeting of the West Cork Municipal District.
He said one of the problems is the location of a pedestrian crossing at Dillon’s Corner, while the other is the sheer volume of cars exiting from the council’s town centre car park onto Townshend Street.
‘This is significantly adding to the congestion on Townsend Street,’ said Cllr McCarthy who has requested that a traffic light be installed at the pedestrian crossing.
As it stands, he said people are using the crossing all day long, which can cause the traffic flow on this main artery into the town to slow down to a snail’s pace.
The councillor suggested that the entrance and exit to the town car park should be made one-way so traffic could filter in, but not out onto Townshend Street.
He claimed his point of view is ‘shared by many in Skibbereen including residents, employees and the members of the Chamber of Commerce.’
Cllr McCarthy argued his case saying that a very large number of buses leave Market Street in Skibbereen every day heading to Cork, Killarney and to The Mizen Head as part of a Local Link service, and these often spend the first 20 minutes of their journeys stuck in traffic on Townsend Street and Mardyke Street.
‘Motorists are now avoiding Townsend Street because it is always backed up beyond the roundabout and use Mardyke Street instead,’ he added.
Drivers are also using Compass Hill, which is located further out the Baltimore Road, as a route into Skibbereen, but this road is ‘totally unsuitable for the increased volume of traffic.’
The councillor questioned the safety of another pedestrian crossing – the one outside the Londis supermarket on Bridge Street.
He said unsuspecting motorists, coming into the town from Ilen Street, can often take that corner too quickly, not realising that they are straight onto a pedestrian crossing.
‘It’s a safety hazard if you do not give motorists a sufficient sightline,’ he concluded.
But the area engineer, John Ahern pointed out that the pedestrian crossings were installed in 2020 to prioritise pedestrian movement as part of the Active Travel Plan for the town.
The engineer ruled out the use of traffic lights saying it would shift the importance back to traffic over pedestrians, and it would also lead to a build-up of traffic when the lights are red.
The local authority will, however, consider the entrance only option from Townsend Street into the Main Street car park.
Both Cllrs Joe Carroll (FF) and Daniel Sexton (Ind Ire) agreed that some changes need to be made, especially on Saturdays when huge numbers of people descend on the town for the weekly farmers’ market.
