Oh boy -> Part of N8 to be closed to FORCE people to pay the Fermoy M8 toll....

Aidan1

So, can someone clarify for me. Are they now classifying part of the existing 'free' Watergrasshill Bypass as coming under the tolled Fermoy bypass? If so, I'd be pretty irate at that too. Is that the case or have I picked this up wrong?

Its very difficult to tell, the tie in with the M8 is far from complete, but it doesn't look like there will be a slip at the very end of the existing Watergrasshill Bypass. If there isn't, from what I could see today, it looked like the very last section of the existing Watergrasshill Bypass (ie after the last slip off- and before the road becomes a Mway) will lead to the toll booth.

This map shows what I mean;

http://www.nra.ie/News/DownloadableDocumentation/file,1859,en.pdf

I've no idea what that means in terms of classification, that short section won't be a motorway, and no rights of way have been extinguished (after all, you can still drive the section - you just can't get out again ).

The quote from Sinnott "On September 2, the barricades will be placed on the N8 Cork to Fermoy Road at Rathcormac " was what threw me - its not at Rathcormac, its several km further south. Its not part of the 'old N8' either, its part of a road opened in 2003 - the 'old' road will not be touched so theres no difficulty with having an alternative route for learners or farm machinery. And the existing road won't be 'blockaded', so those amongst us determined to make an anti-capitalist point will be free to wait at the lights in Fermoy. It looks like she has a point on that short section though, and the legalities of that will be interesting to watch unfold.

OT, but the slip roads for the junction just south of Fermoy don't look ready either, only the base layer is down, and even then its not complete in places. They've a lot of work to do on those sections, and on the tie at the southern end. I measured a 3.5 mile tailback north of Fermoy at ~16:30 on Monday afternoon; the new road can't open soon enough.

Capt'n Midnight

Captain Trips wrote:

Divert them where? You don't have access to a National 'N' route if this blockade happens..

And it is ILLEGAL for L-Drivers or slow vehicles to travel on Motorways.
That's why I said "warning signs must be in place"

I'm still miffed about the parts of the N4 being reduced to 80kph where it runs parallel to the M4.

Our man in Havana

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

I'm still miffed about the parts of the N4 being reduced to 80kph where it runs parallel to the M4.

Is it now a R road now,hence the 80 km/h limit?

curiosity

Travelled on this road as usual today. The permanent metal barrier is ready to be closed, thus blocking access available from the old road at the moment. Take it from me, the freebooters will be sent thru Watergrasshill.

spacetweek

curiosity wrote:

Travelled on this road as usual today. The permanent metal barrier is ready to be closed, thus blocking access available from the old road at the moment. Take it from me, the freebooters will be sent thru Watergrasshill.

Your analysis is correct.

I finally get this now. This map of Watergrasshill is useful. Due to the way the tie-in is being done between the Watergrasshill BP and the M8, the temporary access southbound onto WGH BP (at the very top of the map) is being closed off. You have to continue through Watergrasshill to get to the BP entrance. This means that, as you say, people dodging the toll will have to wait until they're south of WGH until they can rejoin the new road.

As for Rathcormac, heading north, there is no problem. You just exit at Watergrasshill jct, head north through WGH, under the new road which crosses overhead with no access, and onwards to Rathcormac.

Kathy Sinnott is totally overreacting.

dowlingm

spacetweek wrote:

Kathy Sinnott is totally overreacting.

Like that's never happened before...

curiosity

Yup, now we wait to see when it opens and what happens then. No firm date set, the website still not up (directroute.ie, as per signs at southern end). I work in Cork and drive that road everyday and have yet to meet anyone who is prepared to pay the toll. People in my office all seem to be up for using free road.

Aquavid

The same thing will happen as always happens when a section of toll road opens.

A few people will complain that they are being "charged to drive to x, y or z" , the hauliers will announce that the cost of the toll will drive the irish economy out of business and that they will continue to use the old road, and the townspeople of Fermoy will ask for the toll to be scrapped to stop the lorries using the town.

And in the meantime I'll cruise happily down the new road, quite happy to part with what is, after all, less than the cost of a pint, for the service of being able to avoid Fermoy, and aforementioned hauliers.

Aquavid

Victor

http://www.nra.ie/PublicPrivatePartnership/TollingDocumentation/file,2247,en.pdf

http://www.nra.ie/PublicPrivatePartnership/TollingDocumentation/file,2210,en.pdf