Safety concerns prompt call for pedestrian crossing on busy Cork city road  

Locals and public representatives have called for the installation of a pedestrian crossing on Friars Walk as an urgent road safety issue.

Carly O’Sullivan, who lives in the area, explained that there are very few safe places to cross the road, something made even more apparent to her when she is with her niece.

She explained that you have to walk the length of the street to be able to cross, and all the houses are at one side while the shops and services are on the other.

“If you want to use any of the amenities you have to cross the road, and there are cars parked bumper to bumper at both sides so there’s nowhere with full visibility so you can see left to right,” Ms O’Sullivan said.

“There’s no crossing or even traffic lights, you have to walk the whole length because there’s nowhere safe to cross, I really notice it when my niece comes to visit and that’s only at weekends — it’s certainly worse on Monday to Friday when there are people driving to work.”

Not safe

Ms O’Sullivan gets the bus to work, but having to walk the length of the road to cross then walk back to where the stop is located adds extra time, but it is not safe to cross elsewhere, she explained.

“For anyone with limited mobility or vision, or for kids, it’s an accident waiting to happen,” she said.

“Parents on the street have to prevent their children from darting in between cars.

“There are so many schools in the area, and lots of amenities kids use. Even just for me, as an adult with no vision or mobility impairments, it’s dangerous, and it frustrates me having to walk down.

“Lots of people are looking at their phones or have earphones in, making it difficult on motorists too, they’re always worried a pedestrian is going to walk out in front of them, so the current system is not functioning well.”

Huge issue

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, Sinn Féin TD for Cork South Central, said: “The lack of a pedestrian crossing at Friars Walk, adjacent to Ballyphehane Park, is a huge issue for pedestrians.

“The need for a pedestrian crossing is there and has been there for some time now. This is an extremely busy road.

“There are large amounts of people that cross the road here to access the park, the library, the community centre and shops and which schoolgoing children and their parents use to get to Gaelscoil an Teaghlaigh Naofa.

“On the western side of Friars Walk, you have the numerous housing estates and Presentation Secondary School as well. For the past few months also, there is now a creche in the campus of Presentation Secondary School with numerous parents and children crossing this road.”

Badly needed

His party colleague and councillor for the South Central ward, Fiona Kerins, added: “This pedestrian crossing is badly needed. Over the years I have been ed by many people, young and old, concerned at the lack of a crossing here.

“Donnchadh and I have ed Cork City Council again this week calling for the installation of this crossing at Friars Walk.

“We must ensure that we improve pedestrian safety for the general public and in particular, that children and their parents are safe walking to and from school and creche each day.”

Cork City Council was ed for comment.