Cork’s multi-billion-euro transport plans unveiled in new Department of Transport report

By Peter McCarthy, Corkman

The government has published a national investment plan for transport that foresees multi-billion-euro investments in a series of road and rail projects in County Cork over the next decade, including the development of regional economic corridors along the Cork-Limerick N/M20 and the Cork-Kerry N22.

The Department of Transport (DOT) report, which is part of the National Development Plan Review 2025, says that the current economic cost of transport congestion in Cork is approximately €100m per annum.

Railway projects in the plan include the €1bn+ Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme, which the report says will support housing in Blackpool, Carrigtwohill, the City Quays area, and Mahon. Iarnród Éireann will complete Phase 1 of the programme within the next five years and commence Phase 2, starting with new train stations at Blackpool and Dunkettle. In addition, a Railway Order application is expected to be lodged for the Cork city Luas project.

In the area of major road projects, the M28 from Cork city to Ringaskiddy port is already under construction and is expected to be completed by 2028. The plan says the 11-km motorway will facilitate the longer-term development of housing at Tivoli in Cork city.

In addition, a €1bn+ construction project on the N/M20 Cork to Limerick road is expected to start by the end of this decade.

Strategic regional road projects in County Cork in the plan include the €100m-€250m Great Island Connectivity Scheme (R624 Cobh road), which is set to commence by 2030. The long-awaited Castlemartyr and Killeagh bypasses on the N25 in East Cork are currently at the strategic assessment and preliminary business case stage with construction on the €100m-€250m projects forecast to commence by 2030.

Other road projects to be advanced for future construction include the N22 Macroom to Ovens and the N25 Carrigtwohill to Midleton and, in Cork city, the Northern Transport Project and the Southern Ring Road. Additionally, under the BusConnects programme a €1bn+ spend is planned for new bus corridors in the county with construction/procurement to commence by 2030.

The DOT document also says that the potential for around 20,000+ residential units that could be built in Cork city in the short to medium term in line with transport-oriented development (TOD), a form of urban development based on frequent, high quality transport services, has been identified. The Cork TOD report is to be brought to Cabinet shortly.