Contentious Cork BusConnects plan reducing people to tears, councillors claim

Fianna Fáil councillor Mary Rose Desmond led the criticism during Monday's meeting of Cork City Council, slating the “absolute absence of quality and factual information” on the plans.

She said many elderly constituents have contacted her in tears after draft plans showed that they may lose part of their front gardens for bus lanes.

The NTA unveiled its emerging preferred STC routes earlier this year. Ten will connect the city centre to Dunkettle, Mayfield, Blackpool, Hollyhill, Ballincollig, Bishopstown, Togher, the Airport Rd, Maryborough Hill, and Mahon, while one will link Sunday’s Well to Hollyhill, and the other will link the Kinsale Rd to Douglas.

In some places, the designs will see some people losing parts of some gardens, and the removal of on-street parking.

Ms Desmond described as “arrogant” the idea that proposals can be brought forward and that those impacted — most of whom have no engineering, planning or transport expertise — are told to make a submission outlining the changes they would like. She said: 

It’s not acceptable. The polarisation is being forced on people by the lack of quality information being put before them.

FG councillor Derry Canty said he has attended three community forum meetings on the proposals and might as well have been talking to his desk, and he warned of chaos in Ballincollig if proposals to divert private cars onto already congested roads go ahead, while his ward colleague, FF councillor Colm Kelleher, said the design could close his tyre business overnight.

“The proposals are not going to change if you don’t make noise about it. It’s all about making submissions,” he said.

However, FG councillor Shane O’Callaghan said Bus Connects seems open to change after he facilitated a meeting between the NTA and residents in Frankfield who are at risk of losing large parts of their gardens.

Independent councillor Kieran McCarthy described some of the public consultation as tokenism, but his call for a vote of no-confidence in the process was ruled out of order.

However, Green Party councillor Oliver Moran said councillors need to “seriously de-escalate the heat in the debate”, and he accused some councillors of distributing literature about Bus Connects which had “put the fear up people without good reason”. He added: 

"I have had deep issues with particular areas but having raised those with the NTA, they are ready to accept them and amend the plans. 

“They have invited me to direct community groups towards them, and they have met them.

"This is the first of three rounds of consultation over the next two years. The plans will change. Members here should not be winding people up,” he said.

A spokesperson for Bus Connects Cork stressed that these initial proposals are for discussion.

“We have been extremely clear on this point and it’s important for people to hear that,” she said.

“These proposals are for consideration and we are keen for feedback and dialogue with residents, local communities and public representatives.” 

Over 1,500 people attended a series of public information events in July and August, the NTA has distributed some 95,000 information leaflets outlining the STC proposals, and it has advertised the community forum events heavily.

The NTA says it has already received 450 submissions and met 10 local resident groups and provided presentations to the council.

“We are keen to engage and work with people to create a sustainable transport system for all in Cork. We know how important local knowledge and community feedback is and to help shape the future designs to progress the proposals,” the spokesperson said.

“Furthermore, the proposed STCs are fundamental to realising the ambition of the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS), developed in connection with Cork City Council to increase the number of people using public transport in Cork fourfold by 2040.”