A REPORT on bus infrastructure in Limerick City North has claimed a “clear class bias” on some city routes.
The survey, compiled by Sean Cavanagh of Sinn Féin, studied the local 302, 303, 305A, 306, and 343 routes.
Cavanagh’s report found that, out of 85 bus stops surveyed, just 28 had adequate signage, 22 had a shelter, and only 13 displayed timetable information.
Limerick City Sinn Féin TD Maurice Quinlivan claimed “the contrast in infrastructure between the more and less affluent areas was striking”.
Ballynanty was listed as being “devoid of any bus infrastructure”, with no timetables, signage, or shelters in any of the estate’s seven stops.
In comparison, the Ennis Road was listed as having 16 stops and nine shelters.
Moyross was reported as having 16 stops, but just three adequate signs and one shelter. The King’s Island area had 12 stops, three adequate signs, and one shelter.
This is while Caherdavin was reported to have 11 stops, 11 adequate signs, and two shelters.
It was also claimed that some stops lack regular service due to routing decisions or busses turning back before finishing the trip.
Other areas on the Northside reported as having poor service infrastructure included Clonmacken and new developments along the Condell Road, which have “limited or no access to bus routes as they currently exist” – which the report warned will have consequences once residents move in.
Alan Daly, a resident of Pineview Gardens in Moyross, said he fully agrees with the report’s findings.
He said his nearest stop, in Delmege Gardens, “has never had a bus shelter installed and I have often seen elderly people waiting outside in the rain for the bus to arrive”.
The Limerick Post asked a number of local representatives whether the alleged class divide in bus infrastructure was apparent in other areas of the city.
Labour councillor for Limerick City East, Elena Secas, was optimistic in pointing to upgrades in the pipeline for the Castletroy area under the National Transport Authority’s (NTA) BusConnects plan.
However, she warned, the programme will not be rolled out until early 2027 – almost two years after it was promised.
In other parts of the city suburb, Cllr Secas claims the plan is not “ambitious enough”, citing the Annacotty Business Park as particularly underserved.
On the other side of the city, Fine Gael councillor Sarah Kiely says the Hyde Road has been left bereft of a bus service after 7pm on account of anti-social behaviour.
Despite this, Cllr Kiely is complimentary of the NTA and the Council, who she says are “okay to respond to any queries I’ve had regarding bus services. Once the correct process is followed, the request is dealt with.”
The Sinn Féin report, which claims a “clear class bias” on certain Northside routes, isn’t a pattern Cllr Kiely believes is evident in Limerick City East, with a new shelter in the pipeline for Carew Park cited as an example.
Cllr Kiely further asked “why does it matter where the bus stop (sign) is? Everyone knows where they are. I was in Barcelona recently and, wherever you go, you don’t look for signage anymore, it’s Google Maps.”
The Sinn Féin report also alleges that poorly-signed bus routes exacerbate regional disadvantages and access to transit, which could potentially make the city more difficult to navigate for older and disabled people who depend on public transit.
Infrastructure in Limerick City West was also described positively, according to Cllr Dan McSweeney, who says there is adequate infrastructure and that any reasonable requests to the NTA and Council have been met.
Speaking to the Limerick Post, a spokesperson for the National Transport Authority (NTA) said their intention is that every stop on the Limerick City network will have Transport for Ireland infrastructure by 2027.
“This will include at a minimum a bus pole, passenger waiting area at every bus stop location, and a shelter at locations with higher passenger usage”, the spokesperson said.
Over 100 bus stop locations, including some of those in the Sinn Féin reported, have already been visited and assessed by the NTA, Limerick City and County Council, and Bus Éireann, the NTA said, including Moyross, King’s Island, Caherdavin, and Thomondgate.
The NTA also say they will review the Sinn Féin report to see if shorter term improvements can be made regarding bus infrastructure on the Northside.
Bus Éireann told the Limerick Post that they are in regular contact with Limerick City and County Council and relevant stakeholders regarding further infrastructure upgrades.
A meeting is currently being arranged by Bus Éireann with the local authority to discuss upgrades in more detail.
The bus provider added, however, that bus stops, shelter designs, location, erection, and maintenance is the responsibility of the local authority and the NTA.
A spokesperson for Limerick City and County Council say 85 bus shelters have been installed by Active Travel from 2018 to the end of 2024.
In 2024, installation was completed on 38 bus shelters.
