'Serious road safety concerns' at Barrett's Cross

A number of Cork City councillors have expressed concerns over road safety issues at Barrett's Cross in Lehenaghmore on the southside of Cork city.

Independent councillor Albert Deasy brought a motion before council on Monday 12 October, asking that the works on the junction be halted until the "legal authority" for the changing of a proposed roundabout to a T-junction be provided by the council executive.

"We approved a scheme incorporating a roundabout. We did not approve its replacement with a T-Junction," he said.

The original proposal for the scheme was approved by council on 8 February 2021.

A roundabout measuring 30.8 metres in diameter was proposed for Barrett's Cross.

In response to public submissions querying the design of the roundabout, the council said at the time: "The proposed design is an interim solution pending further development at lands adjacent to this location.

"It is anticipated that accommodation works will include the construction of a signalised junction at a future date when the adjoining lands are developed," they said.

A number of councillors echoed Cllr Deasy's unhappiness with the change. Cllr Fergal Dennehy (Fianna Fáil) said that the junction was a "huge issue" and recommended that a special meeting of the South-West Local Area Committee (SW LAC) be convened to discuss the matter.

"We have a situation now where parents are dropping their children outside schools half an hour before the school opens, just so they can get out and get through that junction," he said.

Cllrs Ciara O'Connor (Labour) and Paudie Dineen (Independent) also expressed their concerns regarding the layout change and traffic issues at the junction.

Cllr O'Connor said that the road was used as a "rat run", and said that members of the SW LAC needed to meet with members of the infrastructure department to determine how the issues could be resolved.

The chair of the SW LAC Cllr Joe Lynch (Sinn Féin) agreed and said that as the committee intended to meet on Thursday 15 October that this matter could also be discussed.

He also said that local ward councillors had received "numerous examples of difficulties" and that improvements to the design were needed.

"Residents of Lehenaghmore have legitimate expectations that improved roads will deliver some efficiencies," he said.

However, in a report given to the SW LAC by Director of Services for Infrastructure Development Gerry O'Beirne, the director said that feedback from the public on the safety of the layout under construction had been "limited".

"If anything, the anecdotal feedback indicated general satisfaction," he said.

He said that issues which arise from the development would be addressed following a post-construction Road Safety Audit which will be carried out on the project's completion.

The traffic safety concerns will be discussed at the next meeting of the SW LAC on Thursday 15 October.

This article was produced with the support of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme funded by Coimisiún na Meán.