Update announced on Limerick to Cork Motorway

The planned Limerick to Cork motorway received an update today including Active Travel, junction strategy with mobility hubs, and public transport opportunities.

Limerick City and County Council published the Transport Solution for the N/M20 Cork to Limerick Project in March 2022, and subsequently published a project update in February 2023

The transport solution is not limited to consideration of a single mode of transport but is based upon a holistic, multi modal view to improving connectivity, safety, and economic links between the cities of Cork and Limerick, and ultimately Galway.

The N/M20 transport solution will significantly enhance safety and journey time reliability for all transport users, improve the  health and wellbeing of the bypassed communities, support regional and local economic growth, and implement transport decarbonisation measures from the government’s Climate Action Plan.

The project team have progressed the design and environmental evaluation over the last nine months and now seek, with the publication of the November 2023 project update, to inform (public online webinars at 7pm on 29th November and 6th December) and consult (online feedback form on project website) with the public and stakeholders on a number of elements, including reducing the width of the mainline corridor from 500m to 200m. A further reduction identifying the proposed fence line will take place over the next 12 months.

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Identifying the location of junctions, link roads, side roads and active travel corridors. As well as Expanded provision of Active Travel infrastructure for walking and cycling from 80km to 100km, enhancing the health and wellbeing of our communities are further elements.

Also included are provision of Transport Hubs to facilitate interchange to public transport services, car sharing, active travel, and en-route EV charging facilities; Provision of a Freight Hub to provide HGV parking, welfare, and en-route EV charging facilities; Developing further opportunities to enhance Public Transport and encourage transfer to bus and rail; and Developing best practice for environmental, biodiversity and carbon management.

In February 2023 the details of the active travel strategy, junction strategy with mobility hubs, public transport opportunities and refinement of the study area for the N/M20 Cork to Limerick project were published.

The N/M20 Preferred Transport Solution is based upon a holistic, multi-modal view to improving connectivity, safety, and economic links between the cities of Cork and Limerick, and ultimately Galway.

Today’s announcement follows consideration of extensive public feedback and of evolving climate, environmental and transport policy.

The announcement includes the provision of approximately 80km of Active Travel infrastructure for walking and cycling, and The Junction Strategy has identified nine junction locations including Limerick villages Croom and Bruree linking up with the motorway.

The N/M20 project, identified as a priority investment in the Government’s National Development Plan 2021-2030, will integrate with existing and planned active travel and greenway networks in Cork and Limerick.

The junction strategy will provide connectivity connecting with the national road network at Attyflin near Patrickswell connecting the communities of Bruree and Croom with Charleville.

The other junctions include Blarney, Rathduff, Mourneabbey, Mallow, Buttevant, Charleville.

The junctions will be enhanced through the provision of mobility hubs, with secure parking, EV charging, effective active travel and public transport linkages to nearby communities, offering greater travel choice and modal change opportunities.

The project will have a major impact on the attractiveness of public transport, achieving intercity journey time savings of up to 30 minutes for express bus services between Cork and Limerick and improving journey times and reliability for local bus services along the N20 corridor. Additionally, the project team recommended the development of a “no change” additional hourly rail service between the two cities, via Limerick Junction, reducing intercity rail journey times by over 20 minutes between Cork and Limerick.

Following extensive environmental surveys, design development and public consultation, the study area has been refined with the alternative grey area at Ballyhea removed from the study area, and an alternative grey area at Rathduff included in the study area for consideration of an alternative option.

Limerick City and County Council in partnership with Cork County Council, Cork City Council, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the Department of Transport are progressing Phase 3 Design and Environmental Evaluation. 

Further information is available at www.corklimerick.ie.

The project team continues to welcome feedback from property owners, communities, businesses and other stakeholders. The project team will continue to progress the design and environmental evaluation of the project with further updates scheduled in 2023.

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The full update is available here.