Calls for bus shelter and up to date time-table to be provided in Oldcastle
The “dreadful” conditions endured by bus users in Oldcastle, where there is no proper bus shelter, has been highlighted by a local councillor.
Bus users in Oldcastle have to stand in wind and rain, waiting for buses that regularly have to hold up traffic while they stop.
The conditions for commuters and other bus users are shocking according to Cllr Peter Caffrey who has called on Meath County Council and the NTA to provide a bus shelter and up to date time-table in the town.
“There is no official bus shelter or seating for those who are waiting, they have to stand out in the wind and rain waiting for the bus to arrive.
“The timetable on display is years out of date, which is terribly confusing for visitors. There is nowhere for the bus to officially stop, so they just randomly pull up, usually stopping traffic,” he said.
Paul Connors regularly uses the buses and says the service has improved greatly in recent years, but a bus stop and shelter is badly needed.
“There are services to Ballyjamesduff, Virginia and Ballinlough, Kells as well as to Mountnugent. These link up with all the other buses to Cavan, Navan and Dublin,” he said.
“Unfortunately you have to stand out in the wind and rain to get the bus, or else shelter in a shop door blocking the way. I've slipped twice running to catch the bus, when I've been sheltering somewhere. It was my own fault, nothing to do with the bus driver, but a bus shelter would make all the difference - people wouldn't be running in the rain,” he said.
“There isn't a proper place for the drivers to pull in and particularly when the bus is coming from Kells, you get tailbacks of cars behind it and cranky drivers.
“The timetable is about 13 or 14 years out of date, which is terrible in a place where we get visitors. There should be updated timetables in various places around the own,” he said.
Cllr Caffrey said he has been urging the council to provide a proper bus shelter since he was elected councillor.
“Oldcastle is a busy town and it is terrible that waiting for an catching the bus is such a haphazard experience,
“The buses are well used. There are a lot of people commuting to Dublin, Navan and Kells to work, as well as a lot of people coming into Oldcastle for work, as we have a lot of industry here.
“You also have people travelling to hospitals in Navan and Dublin by bus, and they have to stand out in the rain waiting for the bus to come. It is unacceptable.”
He said that with the recent rise in the cost of diesel, even more people are using the buses.
“There are eleven services in and out of the town every day.
“Having the buses pull up just wherever they can, is a major hazard. The town is busy, particularly on a Friday and the bus just has to stop the traffic because it has nowhere to pull in.
“Then you have people crossing the busy road, it is a accident waiting to happen.”
“We have been waiting a very long time. It should be possible to provide a bus stop and timetable quickly. I know that a shelter would have to go through the planning process, but it should all be provided as soon as possible.”
Cllr Caffrey said he would like to see a Local Link service to Castlepollard which would then link Oldcastle to Mullingar.”This would give the people of Oldcastle access to a train station, Mullingar is the nearest station to us,” he pointed out. A spokesperson for Meath County Council said the council's role was to provide assistance to the National Transport Authority (NTA) in respect of the delivery of the sustainable infrastructure such as Bus Stops. The operational aspect of bus services would be a matter for the NTA directly, and the bus service operators. Meath County Council does not choose where bus stops are located.
The NTA has been approached for comment.