Fine Gael TD for Cork East Constituency, David Stanton, has confirmed that Cork County Council’s final report on the feasibility study of an N25 relief road around Castlemartyr is expected to be presented to Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in September.
Cork County Council (CCC) received funding from TII last year to enable a feasibility study to be carried out on the possible introduction of a short to medium term relief road, for N25 through traffic, around Castlemartyr village. The National Roads Office in Cork County Council began the study last summer and a draft report was submitted to TII for appraisal at the beginning of this year. TII reviewed the submission and Cork County Council were asked to consider additional aspects prior to presenting its final report.
David Stanton said: “I understand that Cork County Council’s final report on the proposed project will be presented to TII for further consideration in September. The completed feasibility study is expected to propose a number of possible options for a relief road around Castlemartyr which would greatly ease traffic congestion in the village and improve road safety. TII will examine the Council’s proposals and decide if any options can be progressed.
“The introduction of a relief road would be of enormous benefit to both Castlemartyr and several other nearby villages along the N25 route. The volume of freight transport through the village is high given its location on the main route from Cork to Waterford city and the port of Rosslare, while local minor roads are being used to avoid Castlemartyr causing unnecessary traffic levels in neighbouring villages. I have lobbied both TII and the Minister for Transport for a number of years regarding the possibility of exploring relief road options along the N25 route and I was delighted that on foot of this, TII agreed last year to fund the cost of a study to further examine the feasibility of such a project.
“I am confident that once submitted, the final feasibility study will highlight the benefit that a relief road, of even a few kilometres in length, would have in eliminating traffic congestion on such an important national primary road. It is hoped that any relief road proposal chosen for further development would be under 5km in length which would constitute a ‘minor improvement scheme’ and allow the project to be progressed without a need to be included in the National Development Plan 2018-2027”, concluded David Stanton.
