Missed appointments and late for work: Anger over unreliable Cork city bus service

One woman said a late bus caused her to miss a hospital appointment that she had been waiting to attend for six months.

Gillian Hawthorne, Dede O Donovan and Ciara Hawthorne at the protest. Picture: Larry Cummins

Bus Éireann came in for stinging criticism at a protest over late and missing buses in Cork city.

One woman told of her heartbreak at missing a hospital appointment she had waited six months to attend.

Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould organised the march to raise concerns about the bus services in the city. Mr Gould had compiled information and personal anecdotes from locals left frustrated by the issues with the bus service. He has given this to transport officials.

"This document lays clear the reality faced by people in Cork who rely on the bus service - missed shifts, children late for school and elderly people missing hospital appointments. People were extremely constructive, they have the solutions,” Mr Gould said.

Protestors made their way from the city's bus station in Parnell Place to the offices of the National Transport Authority on Horgan's Quay.

Many at the event aired their frustrations with several accounts of buses arriving late and sometimes not at all.

Charli Lockwood and Sean O Sullivan from West Cork attended the protest. Picture: Larry Cummins

27-year-old Charli Lockwood, who lives with epilepsy and a litany of other health issues, was among the crowd. She recalled missing a vital hospital appointment after her bus failed to show up on time. She described how the unreliability of the service resulted in unnecessary pressure for her father who now has to drive her to medical appointments.

"He’s older now so I don’t like putting this sort of pressure on him. I’m his child but I’m also 27 so it does feel infantilising. That part of my independence has been taken away from me," she explained.

She reiterated her frustration adding: “The timing of the bus is vital if it means you might be waiting another six months for an appointment. There is a reason why the waiting periods are so long. Consultants are busy. There is one epilepsy clinic in Cork. I have been dealing with epilepsy nurses but the consultant had 30 years of experience so it was really important to me. The HSE aren’t going to care that you missed a hospital appointment because your bus was late.” 

She explained that the issue is particularly challenging for people living with epilepsy who cannot drive because of their condition.

Her partner Seán O'Sullivan also criticised the service.

“We are relying on a private bus service who are more or less picking up the slack of Bus Éireann,” he said. 

“It’s an embarrassment. You would think that the bus would be the perfect service for people to get to hospital appointments but this is not the case.” 

Bryan Conlon from Glanmire also shared his concerns.

"Last Saturday, my journey from Cork University Hospital to Glanmire took two hours and ten minutes," he said.

"I was coming from a hospital visit. I don’t blame the drivers. It’s not their fault. I don’t know what the issue is. I just can’t figure it out. I’ve given up on it now and use my bike most of the time.”

In a statement to the Irish Examiner, Bus Éireann said it is experiencing "some service delivery issues in Cork city" and apologised to the affected customers.

"The key challenges in Cork include traffic congestion and driver recruitment. Traffic congestion is an operational challenge we are increasingly encountering and there is very limited bus prioritisation outside of Dublin," a spokesperson said.

"Congestion means delays to services and can have a knock-on effect on the service as it operates throughout its journey. Currently, just 2% of the kilometres travelled by our vehicles in Cork are in bus lanes.

"Our Cork drivers also report consistent issues in relation to motorists illegally blocking bus lanes or vehicles parking at bus stops, both of which cause undue delays to services. We are actively engaging with the local authority and An Garda Síochána on these matters.

"Like other operators in the industry, we are dealing with short-term challenges for the recruitment of both drivers and mechanics."

Management at the Capwell bus depot in Cork met with Mr Gould and a number of his colleagues to discuss specific feedback that emerged during local meetings held by the Cork TD.

"As we work to improve congestion management and driver shortages, Bus Éireann is engaging with the NTA and the Department of Transport to implement solutions in the short term to improve the current situation," the spokesperson added.