Re: Re: Developments in Cork

The city as a whole has to live with the flawed City Development Plan 2004-2009

The flaw with the CDP is the same as the LUTS and CASP; they’re dependent on central govt being willing (and in a position to) invest in public transport ‘in the regions’. The roads network has been delivered to an extent, but public transport provision is only now being to emerge. The fact that the bus service in Cork is so abysmal is not down to the City Council, its down to the relevant semi state. All the Council can do really is lobby, and to vote in Strategic Plans that facilitate and ‘induce’ investment. The history of the Midleton line will be a very interesting thesis topic for someone someday in that context.

The basic point is very simple. Sustainable urban areas require density. Density requires public transport over the use of the private car. However if you can’t get that public transport provided before you begin to increase the density of an area, and allowing the untrammelled sprawl of urban areas isn’r an option, then sometimes people have to go ahead and try and force the hands of those controlling the purse strings. It just isn’t pleasant for the commuter.

Corks local government is among the best in the country in many respects, but it has a series of problems to deal with that are not of its making.