EFFORTS are continuing to maintain a bus route set to be replaced as part of the redesign of Limerick’s bus network.
Over 800 residents, now established as the The Mulcair Bus Committee, expressed concerns over the decision to remove the Mulcair Road bus stop as part of the BusConnects Limerick plan.
The move by the National Transport Authority (NTA) was published as part of its final new bus network proposal for Limerick in December 2023.
Pennywell Road, Childers Road, and parts of the Ballysimon Road will also be removed under the plans, which currently form part of the 304 bus route, as well as John Carew Road and O’Malley Park stops on the 303 bus route.
The signatures were presented to the NTA in September by Deputy Willie O’Dea. Cllr Catherine Slattery also wrote to the Director of Public Transport Services at the NTA, Jeremy Ryan, to make a representation on behalf of the group.
Cllr Elisa O’Donovan submitted a motion during the September Metropolitan meeting requesting that the Mulcair Road be included in the new Bus Connects route, and also asked that the Council contact the NTA on the matter.
The motion received unanimous support and was subsequently brought before Mayor John Moran, who committed to raising the issue with both the NTA and Transport Minister.
In an email seen by the Limerick Post to Deputy Willie O’Dea from Jeremy Ryan, the NTA confirmed it is “currently reviewing options for maintaining a bus service on Mulcair Road”.
“The email indicated that Route 1 under the plans could potentially be realigned to follow the same roads as the current 304 bus and confirmed that all options are under discussion with Limerick City Council prior to a final decision.”
And earlier this month, Fine Gael Cllr Daniel Butler also met with the NTA to raise the issue, and was told the NTA “acknowledged the concerns of residents” and no final decision on the proposed route had been made.
However it was “noted that certain permutations may prevent change” with the implementation of Bus Connects currently projected for completion in 2027, contingent upon government funding.
A spokeswoman for the Mulcair Bus Committee said that “waiting for the bus can be especially challenging in winter weather, and with scheduled buses sometimes running late, the situation is even more difficult for residents”.
“Elderly people in particular face significant hardship, as walking an additional 15 minutes or more to the proposed Avonmore Road or Dooradoyle Road bus stops is simply not feasible for many,” she added.
The committee also believe that the proposed bus route changes will not serve young people living in the area attending schools and colleges on the route, which may push more people to use private cars.
“If the service is rerouted to Avonmore Road and Dooradoyle Road, additional bus stops and shelters would need to be built to facilitate the new plans. Such construction would involve significant expenditure and appears unnecessary, given that suitable infrastructure is already in place on Mulcair Road.”