Rural residents have long wait for the bus

OVER most of the country outside Dublin there is, in effect, no road transport available for people who do not have a car.

There are huge numbers of people who have virtually no access to public transport, but that need not be the case.

Lack of access to such transport in rural areas and smaller towns is due to the fact that we have continued to rely on a State monopoly to provide this service.

While there are some competitors — not all of them up to scratch — it is nonetheless silly to continue applying the current rules for the provision of bus services.

While I welcome the proposed taxi ferry service in Cork’s Lower Harbour, which would accommodate people in Whitegate/Aghada and other places en route to the city, these areas still have an inadequate public transport service.

Other areas of east Cork with no bus services include Carrigane, Ballyrichard, Lisgoold, Leamlara, Ballincurrig, Churchtown South, Dungourney, Ballyspillane, Youngrove, Roches Point, Mill Road in Midleton etc.

Bus Eireann, in reply to my representations, has promised consideration of these areas when more buses become available. But when?

Meanwhile, there is an undeniable case for the liberalisation of bus transport, certainly outside our major urban areas. If that were done, it would greatly encourage people to live in rural areas and work in urban centres. The two, however, have to go together.

If nothing else, it is a serious injustice to huge numbers of people in rural Ireland to deny them access to public transport in that way.

That is something I would like to see the Government actually doing something about.

Cllr Noel Collins

‘St Jude’s’

Midleton

Co Cork