*Cllr Bill Slattery (FG). Photograph: John Mangan
A CLARE councillor has said he will stand out in the middle of the road to stop ‘double decker’ buses if plans for them to try transit through Blake’s Corner come to fruition.
Secretary of the National Bus and Rail Union, John Hanlon has written to Bus Éireann service delivery manager, Peter Melia expressing concern on behalf of bus drives on plans to use large buses on the 350 route in North Clare.
Bus drivers have “grave reservations” about the prospect of double decker buses being operated on the 350 route to Ennis via Doolin and the Cliffs of Moher. The LD type buses have been recent additions to the Galway depot of Bus Éireann. They are seeking more services rather than bigger buses.
Speaking at Tuesday’s meeting of the West Clare Municipal District, Cllr Bill Slattery (FG) referenced the correspondence. He sought an update from Council officials on plans from Bus Éireann to service the route from Galway at 8am, 10am and 1pm with double decker buses. “If double decker buses are coming through Blake’s Corner then I’d go out in the middle of the road and stop them myself”.
In the letter, Hanlon flagged that bus drivers had major safety concerns on their potential introduction to North Clare roads. “They fear for their own personal safety, passenger safety and the safety of other road users including cyclists and walkers as well as damage inflicted to buses and other vehicles”.
He stated, “After leaving Galway the first tourist hot spot is the picturesque village of Kinvara Here along Seamont and the water inlet the road is very tight, a sweeping bend with a high wall to the drivers left. The bus has to take up the majority of the road. An LD bus would have to keep further to the right as it’s longer than a VB type bus and there are trees overhanging the wall to the left which an LD will hit in which a VB does not. In Kinvara itself there is no designated bus stop and where passengers do alight and disembark it’s very narrow and an LD will block the road completely”.
Roads in Bellharbour were labelled as “poor and very uneven” at present. “After Bellharbour and for approximately 3km approaching Ballyvaughan you are met again with frequent bends and a narrow road and overhanging trees on the immediate approach to the village. This only naturally subconsciously tells the driver to keep right and straddle the white lines. You also have to be aware of stone walls on your inside. If you were to look at the VB fleet of the Galway depot you will be hard pushed to find one not damaged along the near side of the bus. It begs the question how much of this damage was incurred on the 350 route? Will it only be worse for the longer wheelbase and overhangs of the LD type bus,” Hanlon stated.
Conditions become tighter towards Fanore and “meeting oncoming traffic here is very challenging and dangerous especially when you meet tourists who are not experienced of these type roads in their left hand drive cars and camper vans”.
Hanlon detailed, “At Doolin Church you have to take a sharp left turn. This is normally negotiable but becomes near impossible when there’s a wedding or a funeral taking place when private vehicles are parked here there and everywhere. What is a driver to do when he approaches this junction in an LD, a longer bus than a VB, and is unable to safely turn? Exit the bus and enter the church, interrupt the service and ask the priest to ask the congregation to shift their cars? What is the plan of Bus Éireann should this likely scenario occur”.
On the difficulties that will be faced at Blake’s Corner, he said it is “a very hazardous and dangerous corner where buildings bear the scars of vehicle impacts. If you were to meet another large vehicle as you make the turn you are stuck and only chaos ensues”.
