State won’t change traffic rules for Cork/Tipp fans ahead of All-Ireland final

After traffic issues ahead of last weekend’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final between Cork and Dublin, there was hope that big changes were going to come in before the Cork vs Tipperary final on July 20.

Cork North Central TDs, Colm Burke of Fine Gael and Sinn Féinn’s Thomas Gould, both spoke of the traffic delays they experienced at toll booths, with Burke describing a 70-minute wait near Fermoy.

And with two Munster teams facing each other for the Liam MacCarthy, delays have the potential to be much worse.

Gould revealed that he wrote to the Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) before last week’s game, but was informed that it wouldn’t be a problem.

He said: “This wasn’t the case and there were huge traffic jams all day Saturday with people trying to attend the match. This is dangerous on motorways and it cannot be allowed to happen again.

“TII needs to consider lifting this barrier for the busiest times as people need to be able to get to Dublin safely. They make more than enough money from tolls every other day of the year, this is about safety.”

However, a spokesperson for the TII has said that they will not be removing tolls for the day.

He said: “Any removal of tolls would have to be paid for by the state to the private operators.

“The existing toll system is a user pays system, if you don’t use the motorway you don’t pay. Any changes to that would mean people not using the motorway would be subsidising the motorway user.”

In better news, Irish Rail will be making sure that they have as much trains as possible running on match day.

A spokesperson revealed: “But you can take it that anything we can get moving, will be moving on the day.

“I would also remind customers, however, that they can only board the train for which they have booked.”