Transport Summit: Connectivity, shelter and a need for park and ride facilities in Ashbourne

ASHBOURNE MD

Transport chiefs from the NTA, Bus Eireann and Irish Rail met Meath co councillors this week to discuss the needs of local passengers and commuters

Cllr Amanda Smith, Cathaoirleach of Ashbourne Municipal District raised the issue of bus stops on the R132 at Gormanston and asked if there were plans for stops at Delvin and Station Road. It was a dangerous area traffic wise and she wondered if there were transport facilities for 600 Ukrainian people living between Stamullen and Gormanston. This was urgent and needed to be addressed. She also asked if there was a possibility of getting the 101 service into Stamullen village. Apart from Local Link there was no bus service in the village. The bus stop at Frederick Street was not adequate for the number of people using it – a bigger bus shelter was needed.

With regard to school buses all the families in Stamullen were classified as “non-adjacent”. The nearest school was at Gormanston which had been a private school and was now public but Bus Eireann did not provide a bus to it. The children could go to Balbriggan and could get a bus but the service was “non-concessionary”.

Cllr Alan Tobin referred to “zonal fares”. People were driving from Gormanston into Balbriggan to avail of cheaper fares from there. Charges for car parking at train stations was a problem. At Gormanston people would park “anywhere but in the car park” because of parking charges at the concourse. 150 spaces were underutilised, he said. Ashbourne was a town of 15,000 people but had no park and ride facility.

Hugh Cregan replied that new bus stops cost €250,000 to construct. The R132 stop at Gormanston needed a lot of engineering to put it in place. The NTA would look at this in conjunction with the council. There was a park and ride planned for Ashbourne.