Port of Cork Relocation Study

THE CHALLENGE

Due to capacity restraints of the existing facilities Port of Cork Company sought planning to relocate port activities from near Cork City to an expanded Ringaskiddy port operation. This would allow the Port of Cork to offer greater flexibility in the services provided but would include the re-routing of associated traffic from Cork to Ringaskiddy through areas considered to experience congestion during the peak traffic periods.

We undertook review of existing and future scenarios of operation and base traffic in the local areas, worked with existing traffic models to test future operations and provided a transport strategy which would allow for relocation of works and the expansion at Ringaskiddy whilst maintaining the impact of the surrounding road network.

SYSTRA’S ROLE

We were commissioned by the Port of Cork to assist in the preparation of a planning application for the relocation of port facilities from Tivoli and City Quays to Ringaskiddy. We provided transport planning advisory services in the pre application stage, represented the client at pre-application consultation stage with a number of key stakeholders, produced relevant transport planning documentation for the application and supported other design areas with the preparation of the transport EIA chapter. We also acted on behalf of the client as professional witness during the oral hearing prior to obtaining planning permission, which was granted in mid 2015. SYSTRA has been retained by PoCC to provide transport consultancy throughout the delivery of the application and relocation of operations to Ringaskiddy.

Having prepared a baseline review to determine the existing traffic conditions, public transport services, walking and cycling infrastructure, demographic profile of the region and planned future developments/infrastructure SYSTRA continued to development of a traffic model. The Transport modelling included the development of the Port of Cork Ringaskiddy Transport Model from the Cork Area Strategic Planning Model to include the details of three Port of Cork sites, including Ringaskiddy, Tivoli, City Quays. This allowed for the development and testing of a large number of scenarios to inform the Traffic Impact Assessments and junction designs.

We also developed a Port Mobility Management Strategy which included a package of measures which promoted car sharing, cycling and public transport use for employees as well as measures specific to manage freight transport to and from Port sites..