MTU gets free park-and-ride service for its Cork city campus

Coach to operate between Curraheen Park greyhound stadium and the Bishopstown campus

MTU Student’s Union president Isobel Kavanagh boarding the inaugural MTU park-and-ride service which left Curraheen Park early on Monday morning. Picture: Chani Anderson

A free park-and-ride service has been launched to Munster Technological University’s (MTU) main Cork City campus amid confirmation on-campus pay-parking is on the way.

The first buses began operating between Curraheen Park greyhound stadium and MTU’s Bishopstown campus on Monday, less than two and a half months after students staged a large rally to demand improved public transport links and more parking options.

MTU pledged to examine the issues and on Monday, the pilot park-and-ride service for students and staff, operated by Jerry O’Brien coach hire on behalf of MTU, was launched.

It will operate Monday to Friday between the greyhound stadium and the Bishopstown campus, via Melbourn Road and stopping on Rossa Avenue. Buses run every 15 minutes between 8am and 10am, every 30 minutes on the hour between 10am and 4pm, and every 15 minutes again between 4pm and 6pm.

MTU has use of 100 car park spaces at the greyhound track, but can access more if required.

Kevin Tuohy, who works in MTU’s arts office, was one of the first passengers to use the service.

“My commute is about 40 minutes from the north Cork area. I’d normally come in the South Link Road, and then on to the main campus and try to get a parking space in the staff car park or other areas,” he said.

“On a normal day in the first semester, it was busy so by 8am, most of the spaces in the car park were full. But with the work that I’m involved in, we might have different times during the week, so this service gives flexibility to adapt to our schedule.” 

His colleague, Sharon McCarthy, said people had to be in very early to get an on-campus parking space.

“This service should make life a little easier,” she said.

MTU vice-president Paul Gallagher said they have a very proud tradition of working very closely with their students’ union, and resolving the parking problems had been a key issue.

“We think it will be a slow start because we have a lot of students on placement this semester. So the real focus is on September, and on growing capability in terms of sustainable mobility,” he said.

MTU Cork Students’ Union president Isobel Kavanagh welcomed the introduction of the park-and-ride service and said it offered another option to students who could not find parking on campus.

“We want to thank MTU for the service, and for really listening to us during our campaign and for ensuring that the student voice was heard,” she said.

“And while it is great to see this service, what we need to see now is investment in transport infrastructure around the Bishopstown area because it’s good having the bus but it’s hard for it to get through the traffic because it’s so congested.

“We just want people to use it. The more people that use it, the more frequent the buses can be. We just need bums on seats, and that people know it’s here.” 

The service will be assessed this semester and whatever changes to times and frequency will be made before the service runs again for the first semester next September.