Member in the Spotlight: Cork

Cork, Ireland's second-largest city, is poised for significant growth under the Project Ireland 2040 initiative. With a population of approximately 224,000, it is set to become the fastest-growing city region in Ireland, projecting a 50-60% increase by 2040. This surge in population brings with it ambitious mobility goals, aiming to ensure Cork’s transport system evolves sustainably while retaining the city’s distinctive character.

Interview with Aidan Mahony, Senior Executive Engineer, Intelligent Transport Systems, Cork City Council, supported by Kenneth Guemar and Leonard Goodwin, elaborated by Jonathan De Vriendt.

Cork is embracing a multi-modal approach to mobility, integrating infrastructural improvements in public transport, cycling, and walking networks. The Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS), developed in collaboration with the National Transport Authority, is at the heart of these efforts. This comprehensive strategy envisions a more connected city, with enhanced bus and rail services, upgraded cycling infrastructure, and increased pedestrianisation.

To learn more about Cork’s evolving mobility landscape, POLIS spoke with Aidan Mahony, Senior Executive Engineer of the Intelligent Transport System Section at Cork City Council. He shares the city's progress, challenges, and vision for making Cork a model of sustainable urban mobility.

POLIS: Cork is set to experience substantial growth under Project Ireland 2040. What are the city's primary mobility priorities to support this expansion sustainably?

Cork City is the Republic of Ireland’s second biggest city and as a small to medium city by European standards, with a population of 224,000 approx, it is set to become the fastest-growing city region in Ireland with a projected 50-to-60% increase by 2040. These growth targets are ambitious but necessary, not only to support regional development but also to balance national economic activity.

The city has a clear plan to promote a multi-modal approach to mobility by supporting infrastructural improvements in active travel and public transport.  In safeguarding Cork's future, we endeavour to ensure that we retain the character of what it means to be a Corkonian while changing our travel behaviours to enhance and improve the city as a destination to work, live and visit not only in the present but with a clear vision of what the city can be in the future.

POLIS: With the extension of Cork's city boundary, integrating new suburbs like Ballincollig, Douglas, and Blarney, how is the city managing the mobility needs of these diverse areas?

South Mall Cycle lane. Credit: Darragh Kane

The city expanded in size in 2019 to nearly five times its current area. A lot of detailed strategic thinking was underway before the boundary extension. The Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS), developed by the National Transport Authority (NTA) in 2020, considered the mobility needs of an expanding city and region. Some of the key considerations for a harmonised service for the expanded city were as follows:

• Buses: A redesigned and improved public transport system will provide an increasingly important interchange service between the city centre and suburban areas. A Park and Ride network acting as multi-modal hubs will offer more efficient access to the city centre and places of work.
• Rail: The improvement of service and connectivity to the hinterland includes introducing new stations, additional tracks and electrifying the main lines.
• Cycling and walking: Designating a coherent network with prioritised strategic routing including infrastructural improvements will provide access to all major trip generators including employment, schools and key hubs.

We must continue to digitise all levels of these services so that both the on-street equipment, control systems and services are interoperable and seamless to provide citizens with the information to plan multi-modal trips.

POLIS: Cork has a rich history and a vibrant cultural scene. How does the city balance preserving its heritage while implementing modern mobility solutions?

Cork City is a twin-university and maritime city and its diversity is the driving force behind its vibrant city centre and thriving neighbourhoods. City dwellers have a natural sense of pride in what it means to live and work in Cork. This sense of pride is invested in the city’s future with citizens caring about their way of life and the life of future generations.

There is a transformational journey required from citizens concerning how they are traditionally commuting.  This journey will require infrastructure changes, compromises and behaviour changes to ensure we navigate to more sustainable city in line with our climate action policy.

The city’s citizens are the custodians of the city’s collective heritage and their views on how we can best navigate these necessary changes are crucial. Therefore, each project from public realm enhancements to Active Travel to bus and rail service improvements has incorporated significant stakeholder consultation to establish consensus and stitch solutions together to deliver projects. This will ensure a transportation network for the future while maintaining the links to the past and pride in the place in which we work and live.

POLIS: The Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS) 2040 outlines ambitious goals for walking, cycling, and public transport. Could you share some of the key projects that are underway to achieve these targets?

CMATS, which was developed by the National Transport Authority will fundamentally change how people move around Cork City. The delivery of a €3.5 billion investment in transport infrastructure in Cork will be truly transformational over the next decade and beyond. The change has begun in collaboration with all our stakeholders to put in place a multi-modal transportation network with notable projects in planning, development and implementation. Some of these changes include:

• Public Realm Improvements—various city centre projects including Patrick St and McCurtain St have changed the way traffic interacts with the city centre, improving cyclist facilities and pedestrian access while increasing access to public transport.
• Pedestrianisation of city centre streets and reduced city centre speed limits has facilitated a more vibrant city centre experience.
• Localised infrastructure improvements to enhance the attractiveness, safety and accessibility for all pedestrians via nodal links to bus stops and safe routes to schools.
• Upgrades to the cycle network to introduce new routes to access the city while designing infrastructure to minimise conflicts.  In addition, traffic signal improvements have been introduced to improve the detection, service and routing of cyclists through junctions.

Cork City Cycle Network Plan. Credit: Cork City Council

POLIS: Cork's geography and layout present unique challenges for transport planning. How does the city address these challenges while promoting sustainable mobility?

Yes, Cork’s geography is indeed challenging for transport planning. The city centre is essentially an island, built between the River Lee which splits into two channels, each flowing around the city centre before meeting again in Cork harbour. There are elevated suburban areas both north and south of the river, with a network of bridges to be navigated to gain access to the city centre.

Currently, there is a high commuting demand by car and this demand needs to be carefully managed and planned to safeguard and enhance Cork’s attractiveness to live. We wish to promote Cork City as a place to visit, work and live and to that end, there are many new residential developments planned close to the city centre. It is also imperative that we increase the walking levels for work, education and leisure across the metropolitan area, particularly for short journeys (less than 2-3km).

For those living in the outer suburbs and commuter belt, plans are currently underway for an enhanced bus service, as well as developing further the existing suburban rail network. The hills of the north side of the city may present a challenge in terms of cycling. However, with the growing popularity of e-bikes and e-scooters, this can be overcome with an expanded cycle network.

POLIS: The promotion of active travel is a central part of Cork’s sustainable mobility agenda. What measures are being taken to increase the number of walking and cycling trips in the city?

Cycling lanes on St Patricks Quay. Credit: Cork City Council.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Cork City Council began a programme called “Re-imagining Cork City” which included the creation of 14 new ‘people-friendly’ streets and an investment of up to €2 million in the city’s existing cycling infrastructure. Through support from the NTA, pedestrianisation of city centre streets was enforced with the installation of automatic bollards.

Many new cycle lanes were installed along with new bollards and cycle parking facilities. The city council continues to invest in the segregated cycle network to further promote cycling as a means of sustainable transport from the city outskirts. In addition, traffic signal pedestrian crossings have been upgraded to provide an improved service on the network. Selected rail and bus commuter routes have been reduced in price, with new routes and increased service frequency. This has had a significant impact on increasing the use of public transport and removing traffic from main road arteries to the city.

POLIS: Cork aims to increase sustainable transport mode share to over 50% by 2040. What strategies are in place to encourage residents to shift from private cars to walking, cycling, and public transport?

CMATS is the principal strategy for the city to deliver the modal shift necessary to meet our climate action targets. In addition, the Cork City Development Plan outlines many strategies to increase sustainable transport modes. These include linking sustainable transport provision with land use to provide a coordinated approach to the development of the city. Additionally, the city has a number of projects underway to encourage more people to walk and cycle in the city. For example, the recently completed McCurtain St renewal project included the construction of a new two-way cycle path along the river Lee’s north channel and also brought high-frequency bus routes through the area. The reallocation of public road space to more sustainable modes is ongoing with bus and bike lane infrastructure continuing to grow. The ‘Mix your Mode’ transport initiative celebrates ten years of promoting sustainable transport.  It continues this work through the Transport and Mobility Forum bringing together key stakeholders, funded by Healthy Ireland, to help achieve our sustainable transport aims.

POLIS: Cork is planning significant investments in public transport, including a new Light Rail Transit system. How will this new system integrate with existing transport modes to improve overall mobility in the city?

The revamped MacCurtain Street, with new bus stops, pedestrian crossings and public realm improvements. Credit: Brian Lougheed

Cork has indeed prioritised public transport for inve

stment with bus service improvements considered. The Bus Connects initiative recognises that our bus service will remain the workhorse of the public transport system in Cork. The service, routing and frequencies will be adapted to support phases of new development. Buses will provide an increasingly important interchange service between the inner city and metropolitan area with more frequent services to cater for commuter choice.

In addition, it is recognised that a high-density public transport corridor will be a focal point to enable the growth of population, employment, health and educational uses as envisaged by the National Planning Framework 2040. Once the feasibility of light rail is established, such an initiative will unlock strategic development opportunities in its catchment areas. It is expected that the route will include a park-and-ride facility to accommodate traffic from a national primary route on light rail. It will also act as an interchange between Cork’s main suburban and interurban railway station at Kent Station in the city.

In the immediate future, however, there is an immediate need for essential investment in the bus and suburban rail services to both cater for existing and future commuting demand.

POLIS: Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) and digital services are vital for modern urban mobility. Can you elaborate on how Cork is utilising these technologies to enhance its transport infrastructure?

Cork is enhancing its traffic management with smart technology detection on the network for both cyclists and pedestrians. The city’s Urban Traffic Control room utilises SCOOT which has optimised traffic on the network for the past 30 years. As the network becomes more multi-modal, adaptive traffic signal control will need to adjust signal timings based on multi-modal demand. The Bus Connects corridors must be actively considered to ensure shorter travel times and prioritised passage based on bus schedules. As part of the city’s ITS Strategy, there is a requirement for increased emphasis on data analytics to understand travel patterns, using insights from various sources to guide infrastructure and policy decisions.

The use of digital services and ITS by Cork is a component of a larger initiative to develop a transport system that is more user-friendly, sustainable and efficient. To ensure ongoing innovation, future investment will be needed to meet the rising demands of urban transportation. Cork is committed to exploring innovative methods to incorporate emerging technology into its transportation infrastructure, with the goal of improving the quality of life and safety on the network.

POLIS: Community engagement is crucial for the success of mobility projects. How does Cork involve its residents in the planning and implementation of new transport initiatives?

New Grange to Tramore Valley Way. Credit: Cork City Council.

As part of each major transportation project initiative, the project teams hold public consultations to gather feedback on policies, strategies and projects. These include neighbourhood groups, online polls, and open forums, with feedback channels available via the corporate website.

Digital platforms and social media play a significant role in community engagement. Cork City Council use sites like Facebook, Instagram, and X to share updates and promote dialogue around transportation initiatives. Online engagement techniques, such as virtual consultation platforms and interactive maps, make participation more accessible.

POLIS: As Cork continues to grow, what lessons can other cities learn from its approach to developing a sustainable and integrated transport system?

A clear vision is essential to mobilise support for transportation initiatives. Everyone has an opinion on mobility and everyone is aware of the issues facing both the country and the city with respect to a new direction regarding our mobility choices. However, a new direction is often quite difficult when the path is unfamiliar. To this end, people are naturally cautious of change. Cork’s strong links with European Partners including POLIS have been essential in understanding best practices, learning from difficulties and innovating new solutions from proven in-practice deliveries.

As part of citizen engagement, these success stories were essential in allowing people to imagine the future based on real-life examples which have delivered benchmarked change.

Over recent years, investment in the city has increased which is backing project delivery. The changes to the bus service, new pedestrian links, an expanding cycling network, rail transport fare reductions and service improvements are all adding value to how you choose your mode of transport.

POLIS: Finally, looking ahead, what are the next major milestones for Cork’s mobility strategy, and how will they contribute to the city’s vision for 2040?

As Cork works towards its 2040 vision, here are the key mobility goals we are aiming to achieve:

• Bus Connects Delivery:  Infrastructural enhancement of Public Transport routes to increase bus services and frequency.
• Promote Active Travel:  The expansion of cycle networks, greenways, and pedestrian-friendly spaces, encouraging healthier lifestyles and reducing traffic.
• Implement Smart Mobility:  The introduction of smarter traffic management and digital services to improve traffic flow.
• Park and Ride Network Delivery:  Developing a network of multi-modal hubs linked to suburban rail and city centre bus routes with improved service and commute times to various parts of the city.
• Electrification of Vehicles:  The electrification of the train and bus service in the city centre with a reduced need for fossil fuels, as well as the introduction of a public EV charging network city-wide.

The above delivery is reliant on continued national funding support. However, it is firmly believed that each project as it is delivered contributes towards our modal shift targets and it is hoped that as the delivery continues each small step will add up to a big step change in how the transportation network is used.

'Go n-éirí a bóthar leat' (May the road rise to meet you) is a Gaelic goodbye, wishing you a successful journey, which seems a suitable farewell to sign off the interview.

With ambitious plans and investments, Ireland’s fastest-growing city is focused on reducing car dependency and enhancing public transport, cycling, and walking infrastructure. Design by Annalisa Gozzi.