Chronic traffic congestion has led to growing frustration in Killarney with local transport issues having a “hugely negative” impact on business, the town’s chamber of tourism and commerce has warned.
Traffic chaos, which the business group says appears worse this year than ever before, has been named the biggest single issue for the town to contend with and needs to be addressed as a matter of “absolute priority,” the chamber added.
It has urged the Department of Transport, as well as Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the Road Safety Authority, to act immediately by identifying the preferred route for the new N22 Farranfore to Killarney project.
More than 20 years ago, a route corridor was identified but the project was suspended due to the prevailing economic circumstances at the time.
In 2019, Kerry County Council, in consultation with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, recommenced a review of the scheme to consider and assess all options which could improve the transport connectivity between Farranfore and Killarney and onwards to Tralee and Cork.
Now, five years on, the chamber says little progress has been made.
The business group has urged Kerry’s TDs and senators to use their access to the minister and department officials to demand they deliver progress on the N22 project, with now being the “opportune time” to secure that commitment with a general election looming, the organisation said.
“It has been going on far too long and it is now the ultimate Kerry joke. Motorists are encountering absolute gridlock on all the approach roads and in the town centre on a daily basis and it’s time for action,” the Chamber said.
“The chronic, daily traffic back-up in Killarney town centre and on all the approach roads has now reached crisis proportions.”
In addition to the Farranfore to Killarney project, the chamber is also calling for a fast decision on the long-promised Bohereen-Na-Goun inner relief road, funding for a link road from the Killarney Bypass to Pak Road as well as urgent improvements on the Killarney Bypass Road.
The Chamber is also urging for additional resources to be provided to An Garda Siochána and the creation of additional parking options to ease congestion in the town.