*Sixmilebridge Railway Station. Photograph: Joe Buckley
Buses travelling from the Shannon direction are unable to gain access to Sixmilebridge railway station.
Flooding at Ballycar has put the problem back in focus with rail commuters now having to board a bus at Sixmilebridge to continue their route to Ennis. It also inspired Cllr PJ Ryan (IND) to table a motion to the Shannon Municipal District seeking modification work as “buses cannot access the station coming from the Shannon direction”.
Clare County Council’s road design section will be asked to examine the matter. Aidan O’Rourke, the senior executive engineer in the Shannon MD said that a survey, examination and design is needed “to determine how this might be accommodated given the current geometry of the road junction at this location”.
Adjacent property “has been damaged because vehicles are too long and can’t negotiate to get in,” Cllr Ryan flagged. “The buses have to go down to a housing estate to turn. We need to get something done and redesign it. Buses have to now pick up passengers who would ordinarily get the train”.
Currently the situation is “very dangerous,” Cllr John Crowe (FG) observed. “The wall has been knocked umpteen times. The timing of the motion is very good as a new health centre is going to be developed across the road from it”.
“Public transport is the way of the future whether we like it or not, anything that can help the movement of buses without hazards is very important,” Cllr Pat McMahon (FF) commented. “With the health centre and funding for drainage it might be an opportune time to deal with it,” Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND) surmised.
