Proposed motorway service station too close to Cork

The shelving of proposed motorway service stations across the country’s network of motorways has once again come into the public arena at the Bord Pleanála oral hearing into the €800 million Cork-Limerick motorway (M20).

This time however, it is not the proposal of shelving the service station that is being debated but rather the siting of it. The proposed station is planned to be built at Lissard East between Mourneabbey and Rathduff which is just 19km from Cork city. It would also be the only service station on the 80km of motorway. Planners had originally envisaged that there would be three or four service stations along the 200km of the Atlantic Corridor motorway which would eventually connect Cork with Galway. The M20 would form part of this motorway network. It was argued that commuters would not stop at Lissard as it was too close to Cork city.

Eileen McCarthy, associate director of Arup consulting engineers, who are acting for the motorway planners, said another service station had been planned for the junction of the M17/M18 near Oranmore, Co Galway. Planning permission for this site was rejected by Bord Pleanála.

The hearing continues at the Charleville Park Hotel.

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