Transportation & Communications

Dúnta8 Lún, 2016, 8:00am - 16 M.F., 2016, 7:00pm

Transportation & Communications

 

“Rivalling the activity on the quays and in the harbour as a popular spectator sport was the tunnelling required to bring the Great Southern and Western line to Cork, which lasted for eight years. The two viaducts created by William Dargan, the engineer in charge of bringing Cork into the emerging national grid, are still in use on the Cork-Mallow-Dublin line at Monard and Kilnap…” Mary Leland; That Endless Adventure: A History of the Cork Harbour Commissioners, p76

Transportation & Communications - Policy

An efficient and effective transport system is critical to the wellbeing of the economy and community. The DTTAS, in Investing in Our Transport Future: A strategic framework for investment in land transport, notes that the number of people driving to work in Ireland increased 140% between 1991 and 2011, with a corresponding decrease in the combined modal share of walking, cycling and public transport, from 34% to 24%.  Many of the trends and arguments elaborated in Investing in Out Transport Future were anticipated in the DTTAS’s 2009 policy document, Smarter Travel: A Sustainable Transport Future – A New Transport Policy for Ireland 2009-2020.

The recently formed Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has merged the roles of the National Roads Authority (NRA) and the Rail Procurements Agency (RPA) in delivering transport infrastructure and services, which contribute to the quality of life for the people of Ireland and support the country's economic growth. The National Transportation Authority has a national role in helping to deliver more sustainable transport patterns, publishing guidance including “Achieving Effective Workplace Travel Plans – Guidance for Local Authorities” and “School Travel Toolkit”.

While the national elections held in February 2016, and resulting new government, have changed the national political landscape, the national capital investment programme Building on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2016-2021 provides the best current indication for future infrastructure investment in Ireland. This €42 billion framework plan includes the upgrading of vital infrastructure such as public transport, roads environment and communication infrastructure to boost the competitiveness of Cork City and the wider Cork region.  One of the key investment priorities is the development of the N28 Cork to Ringaskiddy Road, critical to facilitating the redevelopment of the Port of Cork.  The Port is the key seaport in the south of Ireland, with 11 million tonnes of traffic and bringing over 145,000 cruise passengers and crew to the region in 2015.  A €100 million upgrade to the Port of Cork will commence shortly which will future proof Cork as an international gateway for trade.  This will also facilitate the relocation of port activities from the City centre, and free up vital space around Cork’s City harbour and docklands area for development. 

Access improvements currently underway at Cork City’s Kent rail station will reorient access away from the Lower Glanmire Road and towards the City Centre with a new entrance on Horgan’s Quay.  This will create a better link between the rail station and city centre and bus station for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users.   

The City Centre Movement Strategy 2012 is a strategic plan to improve the transport function of the City Centre over a 10 year period, with a focus on improving streets for pedestrians and cyclists as well as improving the public transport system. Improvements are being undertaken by Cork City Council in partnership with the National Transport Authority. The vision for the Cork City Walking Strategy 2013-2018 is to make the city “...the most walkable city in Ireland, where people choose to walk as the safe, healthy and attractive alternative to private transport.” The strategy sets out four focus areas that drive a series of initiatives and projects aimed at creating a walking network of high quality streets and amenity routes that provide direct connections between places and spaces, encourage people to walk more, and create a healthy living city with strong communities in a good urban environment.

Cork Airport is the key gateway to the south of Ireland and is the State’s second largest airport after Dublin. In 2014, it welcomed 2.1m passengers, with flights to 44 scheduled destinations, and excellent links to three European hubs — London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, and Amsterdam Schiphol. Direct flights to Boston and New York are due to commence in 2016 and 2017.

The growth of cloud computing, data analytics and other data intensive services means that Tier I Telecoms connectivity is a key infrastructural requirement for the retention and growth of Cork’s strong ICT cluster. The recent landing of a new Tier 1 fibre cable from the US and other proposed subsea cables offers major opportunities to ensure the high speed, lower cost international connectivity needed to underpin the competitiveness of both Cork City and the wider Cork region.

Transportation & Communications - Stats and Facts

More than one in three people living in Cork City walk or cycle to work, school or college, more than double the national average.

Of the 63,807 jobs located in Cork City in 2011, over half (39,008) were done by employees living outside the city, mainly from Carrigaline (10%), Cobh (6%), Midleton (6%), Passage West (5%) and Carrigtwohill (4%). Over 90% of these commuters travelled by car, taking on average 36 minutes to reach their destination. The number of workers in Cork City using public transport, walking or cycling to their place of employment (17%) is lower than the State average (20%). However, the proportion of Cork City residents travelling to work, school or college by foot or bicycle is 34%, being double the national average. There was an average of 629 collisions per annum between 2005 and 2012 in Cork City – 87.3% of which were minor in nature. These statistics reflect both the concentrated nature and sustainable potential of the city and need for greater use and investment in public transport infrastructure servicing the greater Cork region

Of the 63,807 jobs located in the city, 39% employees live in the city and over 58% live in the rest of County Cork. Just over 2% travel from Waterford, Kerry, Limerick and Tipperary. Of the 41,845 working persons living in Cork City, over 59% work in the city, 23% work in Cork county, over 6% are mobile workers and less than 1 % work in Dublin, Kerry of Limerick. Between 2005 and 2012, there was an average of 629 road collisions per annum in Cork City, with 87.3% of being minor in nature.