Proposed construction schedule = 12 months (projected)
Excavation of site = Removal of 40,000m³ /60,000 tonnes of soil and stone
= 1,500 truckloads @ 40 tonne per truck which is
= 3,000 return trips through Skibbereen
= 50 truck loads / per day if excavation is over a 2 month period or
= 33 truck loads / per day if over a 3 month period.
These figures will be doubled if 20 tonne trucks used!!!
This will cause enormous congestion & road safety issues!
A Traffic Survey was called for Skibbereen on 18/09/17. This still has not been undertaken!
Excavation Traffic route:
60,000 tonnes excavation = 40 tonne tipper truck X 1,500 trips!
It is proposed that the excavated soil and rock is moved to various sites including Kinsale, Lissarda, Cape Clear and even Fota Island but this has not as yet been confirmed.
As with a lot of the documents in this planning application it is open ended, lacks detail and is vague.
The proposed routes for these trucks would be as follows:
Skibbereen – Leap – Clonakilty – onwards
Skibbereen – Drimoleague – Dunmanway – onwards
Skibbereen – Baltimore – Cape Clear
This will cause traffic congestion not only in Skibbereen but in neighbouring towns and villages.
Some considerations of the impact on the area include :
1. Dust (residents with compromised breathing in Nursing Home next door)
2. Noise – trucks, rock breakers, construction vehicles
3. Exhaust emissions (from diesel vehicles)
4. Traffic Congestion
5. Road Safety
6. Deterioration of already poor road infrastructure
7. Huge knock-on impact on local businesses & tourism!
The proposed excavation of 60,000 tonnes of soil & rock will be noisy, dirty and add to what is already a congested traffic situation in Skibbereen Town Centre.
