Green light for Togher works

Councillors this week paved the way for major public realm improvement to start in Togher.

The works, which were given the go ahead during a Cork City Council meeting, will mostly take place along the Togher Road from Spur Hill to the Westside Estate entrance.

The preliminary design for the public realm enhancement includes the introduction of a 30km/hr speed limit, narrowing the roadway to a desirable width of six metres minimum to create safer road environment for all users. It also plans to improve pedestrian facilities by widening footpaths while providing safe raised pedestrian crossing points at each junction with Togher Road and at strategic crossing points along Togher Road.

The plans aim to address congestion issues along the route, both through design of the Togher Cross roundabout and addressing the informal on-street parking and setting down regime. It’s been recognised that the existing roundabout layout is currently a barrier to movement in Togher and improvement of this junction is also in the works.

Fianna Fáil Cllr Fergal Dennehy welcomed the project, adding that it will create a village feel to Togher.

He said: “Ten years ago when Cork was flooded, the headlines were all about Douglas but Togher suffered too. The works that will be carried out will enhance the area.”

Responding to a lack of cycle lanes in the new layout, he said that it would have meant purchasing land to include them and there wasn’t the funding to do that.

He also said that there wasn't scope to get rid of some overhanging cables with the hopes that in the future these could be buried.

Green Party Cllr Colette Finn, while disappointed by the lack of a cycle lane, welcomed the speed limit.

Fine Gael’s Derry Canty said the project had been put on the long finger for a number of years.

“It’s what we need for the village of Togher,” he added.

This public realm enhancement project was originally proposed by Cork County Council to avail of an opportunity to improve the streetscape and environment along Togher Road, in tandem with the planned flood relief project.

The works’ location is within the boundary

transition area so the project was transferred to Cork City Council for delivery.