Details of a plan to invest €600 million in Cork public transport have been announced by the National Transport Authority (NTA).
The plan aims to improve bus journey times and increase the number of people walking and cycling into the city with 12 new sustainable transport corridors (STC).
The new investment comes as the NTA published the BusConnects Cork Sustainable Transport Corridors Report.
According to the NTA, the proposed plan, if implemented, will feature 75kms of new dedicated bus lanes across twelve sustainable transport corridors to the north, south and west of Cork city.
The investment will also see 54kms of new cycling and walking infrastructure.
The NTA has said that the proposed new STCs are "fundamental to realising the ambition" of the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy which was developed with Cork City Council and Cork County Council.
The aim of the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy is to increase the number of people using public transport in Cork fourfold by 2040 and expand the numbers cycling and walking by 33 per cent.
The 12 proposed corridors in the STC system are:
- Dunkettle to City Centre
- Mayfield to City Centre
- Blackpool to City Centre
- Hollyhill to City Centre
- Ballincollig to City Centre
- Bishopstown to City Centre
- Togher to City Centre
- Airport Road to City Centre
- Maryborough Hill to City Centre
- Mahon to City Centre
- Kinsale Road to Douglas
- Sunday’s Well to Hollyhill
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said as one of Europe’s "fastest growing cities", Cork has the opportunity to become a leader in sustainable transport.
“BusConnects Cork is key to making public transport and active travel a viable option for people and communities across the city.
“The new sustainable transport corridors announced today, along with the planned roll-out of a zero-emission bus fleet, will make travel by bus, as well as walking and cycling, more attractive to many more individuals and families.
“By drastically reducing bus journey times and providing dedicated cycling and walking infrastructure, sustainable transport will be at the very heart of a thriving Cork City into the future.”
According to the NTA, a more detailed set of proposals for the investment will be published for an initial public consultation during June.
Ann Doherty, chief executive of Cork City Council said the investment is a "vote of confidence in our city and our ambitious plans to make Cork a better and more sustainable place to live, work, visit and invest in".
“The provision of 75kms of bus lanes and 54kms in cycling and walking infrastructure will help to meet the increase in demand for travel within the city while reducing the dependency on the car.
The project brings with it exciting new opportunities to change the way we travel and to invest in urban renewal,” Mr Doherty said.
“Cork City Council is looking forward to working with the NTA to bring the sustainable transport corridors project to life.”
For more information on the BusConnects Cork and the Sustainable Transport Corridors Project, visit: https://busconnects.ie/cork/.
