More bus shelters needed

Cllrs. criticize lack of infrastructure

Bus shelters or lack thereof was a hot topic at the Bailieborough Cootehill MD meeting on Monday, as those gathered pointed out how their respective areas are not being served by such amenities.

Cllr Stiofán Conaty (SF) said that there are 20 buses going through Ballyhaise each day, excluding school buses, and asked that Ballyhaise be a top priority when it comes to supplying bus shelters. He also added Cootehill to this request.

Cllr Clifford Kelly asked "what is the policy on bus shelters?", adding "I know a man that had to put one up himself."

Cllr Val Smith (FG) said that bus shelters "play a big part" for those who are commuting, and said that he has witnessed "people going to hospital getting drowned waiting on a bus".

Fully supporting the motion, he asked if "anything can be done" to get more shelters installed in the county.

Fianna Fáil's Niall Smith raised the case for a bus shelter in Bailieborough, as did his party colleague Cllr Clifford Kelly for Kingscourt.

"People are just standing in the wilderness," the latter stated.

Area Manager Clinton Mulligan told those in the room that the National Transport Authority (NTA) is the authority responsible for sanctioning bus shelters. He said the "issue" that Cavan County Council face is the sourcing of shelters, which are coming from China.

He predicted that it will not be done by the end of the year. He also added that finding a "suitable location" for the shelter was an issue due to the availability of "parking places".

Cllr Conaty asked if the shelter could not be sourced in Ireland, before raising the concern that the allocation for bus shelters was given for 2025, and would this still be available the following year.

Director of Services Paddy Connaughton confirmed that "it will roll on".