Weather means more bus shelters are needed

INCLEMENT weather and an aging customer demographic are two of the reasons that Cllr Karen Coakley (Ind) when seeking a rollout of more bus shelters throughout the West Cork Municipal District area.

The issue was discussed at a meeting of the Western Division, where it was confirmed that phase two of the current programme of works resulted in the construction of nine new shelters. ‘What about the other people in the other towns?’ asked Cllr Coakley. ‘We have such inclement weather and a lot of older people are using the service.’

The councillor asked for a bus shelter to be provided at Market Street in Skibbereen, while Social Democrat Cllr Chris Reinhold said a proper bus shelter is needed in Bantry.

Cormac O’Súilleabháin, who represented the Council’s sustainable transport section, said they decided not to install a shelter outside the Bantry Bay Hotel, which has an awning, because it would add to ‘street clutter.’

In phase two, the Council representative said nine shelters were provided in West Cork, and he confirmed that phase three will include a new bus shelter in Castletownbere.

Cllr Patrick Gerard Murphy (FF) said he understood that there is a user threshold that dictates whether or not a shelter will be provided. He also noted that there is another restriction, namely that ‘the receiving stop’ will not receive a bus shelter.

Cllr Danny Collins (Ind) complained that the relocation of the bus stop in Bantry from outside The Quays to the front of the Bantry Bay Hotel has resulted in a loss of car parking spaces.

Cllr Reinhold appealed to bus drivers to pull into the stop properly and not to block that section of the road because it can become ‘quite tricky for people looking to pass, or pull out,’ he said.