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Motorists in Cork have experienced long delays this morning as a result of the garda checkpoints introduced today under Operation Fanacht.
There are reports of travel disruptions in many areas and heavy traffic throughout the county.
In particular, the N25 around Midleton appears to be particularly affected.
According to AA roadwatch, traffic is very heavy on the N25 westbound from Midleton to J3 Cobh Cross and also from the Fota side, and RedFM callers describe it as “crazy”.
Traffic is also heavy both ways on the N71 at Innishannon. Meanwhile, closer to the city, it is also slow on the N71 from The Viaduct to Bandon Road.
Delays are also reported on the N22 heading east towards Hornos with heavy traffic. It is also slow to approach the Dunkettle Interchange on the M8 heading south.
A caller to Cork’s Red FM, Maggie, said she left Youghal around 7 am in the direction of Cork City and said it took her two hours to get to Middleton due to a checkpoint.
Disaster. left Cobh at 8:05. I only got to N25 at 8.50. The only result of the checks this morning was that hundreds of children were late for school.
– Declan Walsh (@deckie) October 22, 2020
The Marymont worker said she would have to leave at 5.45am to be on time for work tomorrow.
Another caller, Peter, said the traffic was “crazy”. He said the Gardaí did not ask where people were going.
Bernadette, who works at a special needs school, said she had students riding the bus and that the delays would be “very distressing” for them.
My wife just called me on the way to Midleton from Cobh. He was still on the N25 after 45 minutes. Ruins!
– Larry (@ chcap80) October 22, 2020
A Gardaí spokesperson confirmed that the traffic disruption and delays were the result of Operation Fanacht.
Gardaí said they continue to encourage people to take only essential trips and to work from home.
Gardaí stressed that today is the first day of Level 5 restrictions and hopes that the delays will not continue into the future as the public adjusts.
School transportation was singled out as a particular cause of delay.
“I suppose people have been dropping kids off at school and things like that, which has occupied it this morning, but it’s the first morning so hopefully things will calm down. But there are delays everywhere.” a spokesman said.
My normal 45 minute commute (to school!) Took 1 hour 30 minutes.
The checkpoint appears to be poorly designed, filtering all traffic off the N25 before redirecting it.– John Hurley (@johnmhurley) October 22, 2020
Gardaí has been implementing checkpoints across the country in an attempt to minimize travel as part of Operation Fanacht in support of the government’s attempts to contain the spread of Covid-19.
Last week, gardaí said that typical traffic levels have been reduced by an average of 15% on national highways after the start of the Operation.
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