LIMERICK Council was prompted to seek the necessary funding to provide seating at every bus stop in the Metropolitan District.
Making the proposal, Social Democrats councillor Shane Hickey-O’Mara said he made the request to ensure that those taking public transport, particularly older residents and those with limited mobility, can rest as they await their bus.
“We wouldn’t accept a new train station being built without seating for passengers, we wouldn’t put up with an airport terminal not having seating, or a ferry, a boat, or whatever you’re into yourself -how come we accept that the vast majority of bus stops in our city don’t have any seating for passengers as they wait for their public service to turn up?” the City North representative asked.
Cllr Hickey-O’Mara told November’s Metropolitan District meeting that numerous residents have continually pointed the issue out to him over the past months.
“During the summer I was canvassing a house and was speaking to a young woman on her doorstep – I guessed she’d want to speak about issues affecting young people, but her sole focus was on the fact that her grandmother in Corbally has nowhere to rest at her bus stop when she’s waiting for the 301,” he said.
“My own Nana has the exact same issue when she’s waiting for her bus in Ballynanty, her mobility has reduced but despite everyone continually asking if she wants a lift into town to see her friends and get her messages. She refuses. Why shouldn’t she, she’s always valued her autonomy and independence, and just because she’s in her 80s doesn’t mean she should lose that.”
Cllr Hickey-O’Mara called for incentivising to get people on public transport.
“I’m not calling for anything radical or drastic, I’m calling for the most basic of public infrastructure for our city and suburbs. I would like to see the Council prioritise this and to actively work to gain the necessary funding to achieve this – and I’ll say it again – basic infrastructure,” he said.
Cllr Elisa O’Donovan (SD) seconded the motion, agreeing that every bus stop into the city should have a shelter, lighting, and seating.
Fine Gael councillor Sarah Kiely added her support, suggesting there is a need for more bus shelters in general.
“We do have an issue with the NTA (National Transport Authority) anyway when it comes to how they drop the ball on their own procurement issues. I’d say it will be a cold day in hell before the NTA do anything constructive, in my opinion, to do with bus shelters or anything else,” Cllr Kiely commented.