Former Mayor of Fermoy, Michael Hanley, took matters into his own hands and went on point duty, controlling and directing traffic himself until gardai arrived to take over at midday on Saturday last when traffic congestion in Pearse Square saw traffic backed up the Dublin road.

“I got a call from an adjoining businessman to say traffic was backed way up the hill on the Dublin road as far as the eye could see. The traffic lights were switched off. Something had to be done. It’s not the first time I’ve done it when I’ve seen the need,” Cllr Hanley said. He stressed that the gardai are doing a very good job managing traffic.

Traffic lights at the town’s busiest junction have been turned off for some of the past week and the traffic managed by gardai to allow it flow freely while the lorries carrying soil to the embankment location for the flood protection works are passing through town on a trial basis and also to assist with traffic management while the bridge is reduced to two lanes. No lorries were transporting soil on Saturday last however so the traffic congestion is more likely to have been caused by heavy weekend volumes and the lane reduction on the bridge.

At a meeting on Thursday last between Fermoy Town Council, Cork County Council, the OPW, Lagan Construction and the Gardai, the issue of transportation of soil through the town was discussed. Trial runs took place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of last week and those were reviewed.

The trial on Tuesday focused on three truck movements per hour. That was increased to six per hour on Wednesday and Thursday. It was agreed to extend the trial for a week with eight trucks an hour as per Lagan’s proposal. As a result the transportation recommenced on Sunday last until Thursday of this week.

The hours of transportation are from 2pm to midnight. A further review of the trail is due to take place this week.