Bus Éireann calls for extension of 'Pana ban'
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Bus Éireann has called for a major extension of the so-called "Pana ban" on Cork's main street to help more buses run on time.
It was among a raft of suggestions made by the company in a briefing to public representatives this week on its decision to cut hundreds of bus services per week from the high-frequency 202, 202A, 205, 208, and the 24-hour 220 routes from October 20.
The company said while it is trying to address its driver shortage in Cork, it also faces a number of operational challenges in the city, including lack of bus lanes, congestion, illegal bus stop use, and lack of enforcement on motorists ignoring bus priority routes.
Pending the delivery of the 11 major strategic transport corridors proposed under BusConnects Cork, it said there are a number of interim measures that could help buses run on time, including a significant extension of the Patrick’s St bus priority measures.
The time-regulated bus lane on Patrick's St, dubbed the Pana ban, was introduced in 2018 to prioritise buses from 3pm to 6.30pm daily, with access to the main thoroughfare restricted to public transport, taxis, cyclists, and emergency vehicles.
The measure was designed to facilitate the street's estimated 1,000 bus movements daily, but the car ban is being flouted every day, leading to criticism about the lack of enforcement of the measures.
It has hampered the success of what was described as a key element of the City Centre Movement Strategy (CCMS) — a major project designed to improve public transport, pedestrian, and cycling movement around the city.
There has been similar criticism about lack of enforcement in the new bus lanes which opened about a year ago in and around MacCurtain St — another key element of the CCMS.
Bus Éireann told politicians this week that bus reliability could be improved if the Patrick's St bus lane times were extended to include the morning peak, and later into the evening — to operate from 6am to 9pm.
It suggested an extension of the north bore of bus priority from Parliament Bridge, South Mall, and Grand Parade to the Washington Street junction to align with the current Patrick’s St bus priority times.
It flagged Douglas as a key problem area and called for traffic lights with built-in ‘bus loop configuration’, a review of street furniture in and around the village's main street, a review of the traffic light configuration at St Columba’s school, and near the flyover at West Village.
It called for a fast-track Parnell Place bus lane between South Mall and Merchant's Quay, and a relocation of some bus stops there to allow free flow of services.
And it suggested using existing car parks in the south and west of the city to connect with certain nearby bus services, for the installation of poles or pillars in the centre verge at York Hill to prevent right turns, and for the installation of bollards to prevent cars queuing at Merchant's Quay car park.
Crucially, it called for more enforcement of illegal parking in bus stops and in bus lanes.
And while national legislation would be required, it said cameras should be installed to detect motorists flouting the Patrick's St bus lane, and those using the east bore bus lane along Coburg St.
The enforcement issues are set to be raised by city councillors at a meeting with Garda Commissioner Drew Harris on Thursday.