Garda motorcyclist seriously injured in crash near Mallow
A male on-duty Garda motorcyclist was seriously hurt in a single-vehicle road traffic accident near Mallow, north of Rathduff, on the N20 motorway late last night.
The accident happened at approximately 11.50pm and emergency services and three units of the fire service, from Mallow, Ballyvolane and Cork City, attended the incident.
Gardaí at Anglesea Street confirmed that a garda motorcyclist was involved and was taken to Cork University Hospital for treatment.
A Garda spokesperson said: “There was nobody else involved. It was a single-vehicle collision. The motorcyclist was taken to Cork University Hospital. We have no update on his condition.”
The road was closed northbound between Rathduff and Ivy Bridge and the closure was expected to be in place until mid-morning at the earliest, causing major disruption to rush hour traffic.
Traffic was diverted at Rathduff for 6km through Grange before returning to the main Mallow to Cork road with southbound traffic reduced to one lane.
The details of the circumstances of the accident are, as yet, unclear and the extent of the Garda's injuries are not yet known.
Councillor Kenneth O'Flynn (FF) said the incident again highlights the need for a motorway between Limerick and Cork and safety measures between Cork and Mallow.
“I travel the road everyday and there isn't a day that goes by that there isn't an accident or a death. It's about time the Transport Minister Shane Ross came down and inspected the road. It has to be one of the most deadly roads in Ireland at this stage,” he said.
“We're looking for the €1bn road for connectivity but nobody is talking about the deaths on the Cork to Mallow road. The Minister has to do something for safety,” he added.
