Cork

Sustainable Transport Corridors Report 2022

The BusConnects Cork – Sustainable Transport Corridors Report 2022, published in April 2022 and available to view below, marks the beginning of the NTA’s engagement on the necessary infrastructure to support the BusConnects objectives. There are 12 sustainable transport corridors proposed, each designed with the aim of making the bus system operate more efficiently and to encourage more people to cycle by enhancing infrastructure.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) unveiled a €600m investment in BusConnects Cork which will include the creation of new Sustainable Transport Corridors (STC) to help meet the needs of a growing city while accelerating the journey to a net-zero future.

The new investment comes as the NTA published the BusConnects Cork Sustainable Transport Corridors Report. The report sets out the NTA’s principles and initial thinking on how the Sustainable Transport Corridors (STC) will significantly improve bus journey times and increase the number of people walking and cycling into the city.

The proposals, if implemented, will feature:

  • 54kms of new cycling and walking infrastructure as well as 75kms of new dedicated bus lanes across twelve sustainable transport corridors to the north, south and west of Cork city.
  • Bus journey time will be cut in half across most of the twelve proposed corridors.

The Sustainable Transport Corridors initiative is one of the nine key elements of BusConnects Cork that will transform the city’s bus system, making public transport more accessible to more people. These include redesigning the network of bus routes in the city, transitioning to a zero-emissions bus fleet, rolling out a new bus livery and implementing a new modern ticketing system.

The proposed sustainable transport corridors are fundamental to realising the ambition of the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy, developed in connection with Cork City Council and Cork County Council, to increase the number of people using public transport in Cork four fold by 2040 and expand the numbers cycling and walking by 33%.

A more detailed set of proposals will be published for an initial public consultation during June 2022. This will included extensive public engagement and allow people to provide their feedback, insights and local knowledge regarding the proposals. A series of Community Forums will be established to fully engage people and groups at a local level for each corridor and surrounding areas, as plans for the project are developed, designed and progressed. Further details regarding the Community Forums will be announced in June 2022.

The 12 proposed Sustainable Transport Corridors

The 12 proposed corridors in the STC system are shown in the map below: A. Dunkettle to City; B. Mayfield to City; C. Blackpool to City; D. Hollyhill to City; E. Ballincollig to City; F. Bishopstown to City; G. Togher to City; H. Airport Road to City; I. Maryborough Hill to City; J. Mahon to City; K. Kinsale Road to Douglas and L. Sunday’s Well to Hollyhill.

Public Consultation on the Draft New Bus Network November & December 2021

BusConnects Cork is the National Transport Authority’s plan to improve Bus Services throughout the city and suburbs. An initial consultation was held in July 2021 and responses helped shape the Draft New Network for the Metropolitan Area, part of the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS).

A second public consultation on the Draft New Network then took place from the 2nd of November to the 17th of December 2021. BusConnects welcomed feedback from the public on the Draft New Network via an online feedback form and email submissions. An analysis of this feedback is now underway and this will inform the publication of a Final New Bus Network later this year.

The New Network will include benefits like; an increase of over one third in bus services in Cork; a new frequent network that paves the way for Luas; shorter waits and more direct routes and additional services at weekends.

The local area booklets from the Draft New Network Consultation and the interactive network map below, provide details of the proposed bus routes in your area and where they will connect to. Also available to download is the full Draft Network Report.

Reports:

Local Area Booklets:

Network Map

View the interactive network map and learn more about the plans to improve bus services throughout the city and suburbs of Cork.
View Network Map

Bus Network Redesign Choices Report – Public Consultation July 2021

An initial round of public consultation for the Cork Bus Network Redesign took place in July 2021.  This initial consultation was on a “Choices Report” (which can be downloaded below), seeking feedback from the public on certain choices about the future Cork bus network.

Documents from the Consultation below

Infrastructure

The specialist technical service providers have been appointed to develop concept engineering designs for the Core Bus Corridors (CBCs) that will support the efficient running of the bus services in the City. They will also include the provision for bus priority and safe cycle and pedestrian facilities.

Once work has been sufficiently developed in assessing the routes, there will be extensive public consultation where the public will have opportunity to have their say on the proposals.

BusConnects Cork is a programme of nine measures to fundamentally transform Cork’s bus system, so that bus commuting will become a viable and attractive choice for employees, students, shoppers and visitors.

The full Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy unveiled in early 2020 is available at this link