The National Transport Authority (NTA) has dramatically reduced the amount of tree felling, compulsory land purchase and on-street parking required for its ambitious €600 million BusConnects Cork project.
Details of draft plans for the project, which aims to quadruple the number of people using public transport, and the number of those cycling and walking by 33%, received a broad welcome when first published last year.
They involved the construction of 93km of bus lane or bus priority lanes, and 54km of cycle lanes through a network of 12 Sustainable Transport Corridors (STCs).
But several communities expressed outrage over the potential felling of hundreds of trees, the loss of on-street parking spaces, and the compulsory acquisition of private property, including many gardens which would be lost if the plans went ahead as proposed.
Today, NTA Chief Executive Anne Graham, Deputy Chief Executive Hugh Cregan, and Cork City Council Chief Executive Ann Doherty attended the publication of the revised designs.
Ms Graham said that around 700 trees are due to felled - a 50% reduction on the previous figure.
While the NTA is proposing the removal of trees, she said, more will be replanted than felled as part of improved landscaping.
Speaking on RTÉ's News At One, Ms Graham said the NTA has put forward a reduction in the number of on-street parking spaces that it had originally planned to remove.
"We have proposed that we will reduce the amount of on-street parking removal by about 30%."
She said it was a significant issue that was raised by some communities.
The authority also confirmed that the preferred proposals will see 600 property owners remain the subject of compulsory purchase orders - down from an original figure of 900 - but the number includes a number of new properties.
Some 3,000 submissions were made to the NTA who met with 35 resident, special interest, and business groups, and with 130 individual landowners, since the publication of the draft plans last year.
The changes include the shelving of the Sunday's Well to Hollyhill STC scheme, as well a major reduction in the planned bus lanes along Harbour View Road which will significantly decrease the impact on property.
The revisions have been welcomed by Sinn Féin Councillor Mick Nugent who urged the public to engage with the next stage of the public consultation.
"I think it is a work in progress but with some positive issues this morning, clarified".
The threat to hundreds of trees and to properties along the Boreenmanna Road has also been lifted with changes to the Mahon to city corridor STC which sees the dropping of inbound and outbound bus lanes in favour of a single citybound bus lane.
The Boreenmanna Residents Group, who tied yellow ribbons on some 108 trees along the proposed route as part of their campaign against the corridor, has welcome the revisions.
The gardens of some 80 residents would also have been the subject of compulsory purchase orders.
Resident Der O'Riordan said over 100 trees were to be felled to achieve "a pitch point on the link road".
"Nothing was going to be gained, no time was being saved," he said.
The width of footpaths on Summerhill North will be retained after residents raised safety fears as well as the retention of on-street parking along Ballyhooly Road and Summerhill.
The controversial flyover through the Mangala in Douglas has also been dropped.
Along the Togher to City STC, the Pearse Road section has been removed, while the bus routes proposed for Ballincollig town centre are no longer part of the scheme.
Green Party Councillor Colette Finn said the original plans were controversial but it was good to see the NTA was listening to people.
"They have tried to accommodate as many objections as possible, like trees, impacting on private gardens but it is great to see they are keen to get th project over the line and they are listening to people which is the main thing".
But Fianna Fáil Councillor Mary Rose Desmond said some areas remain controversial.
"There has been a lot of change in certain areas and I am very glad for those people that have managed to secure their homes really but I still have the same concerns that I had at the outset with regards to Douglas Road in particular.
"It has been acknowledged it is the most impacted route, it is a challenging route. There has been a certain amount of compromise that we believe was actually on the table from the beginning but straight away you are talking about a 12 metre-wide corridor in parts that are only six metres, so that's my issue".
Ronan Margey, of the Douglas Road Environment, Heritage and Culture Group, said the organisation is extremely disappointed.
"It means wanton environmental destruction at a time of climate crises. It is 183 mature trees that are going to be felled on the road.
"It is 183 trees that date back to 1780. It is 565 individual plant, insect, animal and bird species that potentially are going to have their habitat interfered with.
"We have historic boundary walls that date back to 1810 that are recognised as a unique habitat for biodiversity that are going to be destroyed. They can't be replaced.
"It is just a gross intrusion on the lived environment that this community shares".
The public will have eight weeks to give their feedback on the revised proposals published today.
