Better garda enforcement of bus lanes 'would help ease Cork's gridlock', city council told
Ryan In Eamon To While Said Having Dealing And Larry With Hiring Its Been Traffic Enough Real Drivers éireann Difficulty Maintain City, Mechanics Schedule Congestion Cummins Has Bus Also Picture: Cork Bus
More garda enforcement of bus lanes combined with some "quick win" measures could help buses run faster through Cork City, the transport minister has said.
Eamon Ryan made his comments after a briefing with councillors in City Hall on Monday, which also involved Bus Éireann and the National Transport Authority (NTA).
The meeting was requested by councillors who say they have been inundated with complaints about the city's unreliable bus service, about motorists ignoring bus stops and bus lanes, and about the lack of enforcement of bus priority corridors — including St Patrick’s St and around MacCurtain St.
The meeting was held on the day Bus Éireann’s reduced city bus timetable kicked in, with up to 800 fewer services weekly across five of the city’s busiest high-frequency routes, with the company blaming a shortage of bus drivers, gridlock, and lack of enforcement of bus lanes.
Mr Ryan, who is not contesting the general election, defended investment in public transport in Cork during his term in Government. He pointed to massive investment in the commuter rail network and to bus fare reductions.
However, he said Bus Éireann has been having real difficulty hiring enough bus drivers and mechanics to maintain its schedule in Cork City, while also dealing with traffic congestion.
“We need to address that. We had to change the timetable to reflect that, but we’ll change it back. Bus Éireann has said it might take 12 to 15 weeks,” he said.
As well as hiring the required staff, he said “quick measures” must be identified and implemented to get buses moving quicker. Enforcement by gardaí must also increase, he added.
“So what we agreed is that city council officials will sit down with the NTA and Bus Éireann to look at those measures that can be introduced quickly,” he said.
Mr Ryan also called for the publication on the public consultation of the long-awaited preferred route of the proposed €1bn 17km-light rail system — which is due to run for from Ballincollig, through the city, to Mahon.
A week after a series of crashes and road closures in the space of a few hours caused gridlock across the city, Mr Ryan said the long-awaited northern distributor road also needs to be delivered.
“I am confident that we can get to the next stage of planning quickly,” he said.
He also said the move towards public transport during this Government's term has been clear, adding that Cork will benefit from that.
"But we have to keep it going. It will all come to no avail if the next Government doesn’t put the money into public transport. Then we will be in real trouble.
"But if we keep going to track that the Green Party has set, then I think that will really benefit Cork,” he said.
Labour councillor John Maher said all stakeholders now need to get around the table to solve the city’s bus problems.
“The minister suggested that funding is an issue and, without the money, we cannot deliver on buses, light rail, or new train stations.”
Sinn Féin councillor Joe Lynch suggested shortening some of bus routes.
“The 220 serves stops all the way from Ovens to Carrigaline, traversing the city centre in the process. [This] leads to constant delays in the morning and evening peak,” he said.
“The old 232 route, which ran from Ballincollig to the city centre and back again, may not have been as frequent, but at least it was a service the public could rely on.
“When a bus was timetabled, it arrived, unlike the ‘pot luck’ situation that now exists.”