After a three hour debate on Monday, it was agreed to defer a vote until Monday, September 13.
To the disappointment of the 100 or so residents who attended, Mayor Maria Byrne’s recommendation that “a more appropriate route” be sought for the bus lane” was postponed, following Cllr John Gilligan’s call for an adjournment.
Cllr Pat Kennedy said the business community in the area pays very substantial rates to council.
“One business person I know pays €20,000 per annum and another, €15,000 – I am for the professional community who provide specialised services for the city at large”. Reminding the meeting that the current City Development Plan stipulates that where possible, there must be provision for priority bus lanes,” he added; “there is, however, no reference to the provision of these routes in O’Connell avenue or Ballinacurra”.
Cllr Kevin Kiely. who last week changed his mind from opposing the Ballinacurra / O’Connell Avenue bus lane, to now supporting it, told Cllr Kennedy that he was quoting him when he said: “there are very important people in O’Connell Avenue”.
Cllr Kiely commented: “There are also very important people in Moyross and Southill, too”.
Referring to suggestions that an alternative route for the bus lane would be Hyde Road or the Dock Road, Cllr John Gilligan said:
“We have a problem running a bus lane in front of people’s houses and instead recommend putting it in where there are no people – we’d be laughed at – there is no option but to continue with the green routes for this city. “Are we to send back €5million to the government by not rolling out the two phases of the O’Connell Avenue bus route? We will be the only city that doesn’t have a decent public transport system – one hundred years ago London and Paris endured disruption when their transport systems were installed – we should just get on with it and not be going to the Windy Gap and calling it an alternative transport system, just because we have a problem running buses in front of people’s houses”.
Emphasising his “belief in the concept of green routes,” Cllr Joe Leddin added: “but not in Ballinacurra because of the number of schools in the area.
“Board of Managements have real concerns for the safety of students”.
Cllr Diarmuid Scully believes that O’Connell Avenue is too narrow for a bus lane but recommends that Childers Road and Hyde Road be considered.
