THE DEVELOPMENT of a new €242 million co-located private hospital on the grounds of Cork University Hospital (CUH) will not have any significant impact on key junctions in the area, the developers of the hospital claimed yesterday.
Traffic consultant, Stephen Reid of Faber Maunsell said that the Beacon Medical Group's proposed hospital on the CUH campus will not lead to any major increase in traffic levels on either Bishopstown Road or the Wilton Roundabout.
Mr Reid said he had examined traffic growth forecasts from the National Roads Authority and had factored in the extra 161 car spaces proposed for the new hospital.
This analysis showed there would be increases of 2.2 per cent during morning hour and 2.7 per cent during evening peak hour at the Bishopstown Road/CUH campus junction and rises of 1.4 per cent in the morning peak hour and 1.4 per cent in the evening peak hour at Wilton Roundabout.
Mr Reid's analysis was challenged by Eamon Cashell, Chairman of the Laburnum/Wilton Residents Association who said, that looking at absolute numbers on traffic entering CUH used by Faber Maunsell, the new hospital would add significantly to congestion in the area.
Faber Maunsell had calculated that the new hospital would lead to an extra 2,644 vehicle movements on to site which represented a 23 per cent increase on the existing 11,290 movements while it would add 16.7 per cent during morning peak time and 26.4 per cent during evening peak time.
Mr Reid had also said that his study had found that there was no evidence of overspill parking from CUH into surrounding estates.
However, Mr Reid was challenged by Rose Hayes, Chairperson of Wilton Garden Residents Association who said she was not imagining people parking outside her house and instanced a recent case where the fire brigade could not access the area because of illegal parking.
Earlier, a statement was presented on behalf of Dr Denis Kelly, Chairman Consultant Medical Staff at CUH who said that consultant medical staff at the hospital supported the project as it was the option which was most likely to be successful in delivering extra capacity at CUH.
Increasing capacity will also be necessary because of the transfer of cancer services from other Cork hospitals to CUH.There was no viable alternative to a co-located hospital, he said.
