URGENT CHANGES to bus stops in Shannon Banks have been sought.
In a motion brought before the Shannon Municipal District, Cllr James Ryan called for swift alterations to the bus stops, aiming to address both accessibility issues for wheelchair users and the confusion caused by inconsistent bus stop locations.
Cllr Ryan explained that a wheelchair user highlighted difficulties in boarding buses due to the height of the new bus stop, which requires the use of the bus ramp. He has also pointed out that not all bus drivers consistently lower the ramp, creating further barriers to accessibility. With some bus stops in Shannon Banks being unofficial, Ryan is pushing for all stops, both official and unofficial, to be made accessible and more practical for the community.
In further comments to The Clare Echo, Ryan highlighted that many wheelchair users in Shannon Banks have requested changes to the kerbs, which are too low to allow for safe boarding even when bus ramps are used. “There are a number of wheelchair users in Shannon Banks, many of whom live inside the estate,” Ryan explained. “They have asked if the kerbs can be raised or changed to make it easier to board and alight the buses”.
Previous efforts to mark unofficial bus stops for safety were blocked by local residents concerned about potential obstructions. Cllr Pat O’Gorman (FF), referenced a previous motion in which he had asked for these unofficial bus stops to be marked by painting them on to the road, to aid with public safety but this didn’t go ahead because residents didn’t agree with extra bus stops obstructing footpaths and houses.
“The other side of it is, and I had a motion about this myself last year. The people of Shannon banks don’t want a stop in some of the areas the buses are stopping in. It isn’t as easy as just putting them there,” said O’Gorman.
Tom Mellet, Senior Executive Engineer with the Shannon MD explained that the area will have to go through a design process, where the bus stops in question will be assessed and that this process is ongoing.
