Local Link manager calls for more bus stops and shelters in Mayo
Sarah Togher is the manager of Local Link.
The manager of the Local Link service in cMayo has called for greater provision of bus stops and shelters,
Sarah Togher, manager of Local Link and Environmental/Conservation representative on Mayo Co Council’s Roads and Sustainable Travel Strategic Policy Committee (SPC) told last week's meeting of the SPC that there was a need to identify locations for new bus stops in several locations around the county. Funding for bus stops and shelters is provided by the National Transport Authority (NTA).
“It is hard for people visiting an area. We do so much promotion of the Wild Atlantic Way but people don’t know where to go to find the bus to get around,” she said.
Fine Gael Cllr Jarlath Munnelly said Killala and Ballycastle currently have no bus stop or shelter and Mayo was "behind the game" in providing such facilities.
“You have to use your intuition to know where the bus is going to stop,” he said. “The buses are stopping at informal stops but we can’t continue without signage.”
The council's Acting Head of Roads Conrad Harley said he would be meeting with representatives of the NTA next week to discuss funding for bus stops but added they are difficult to establish and are often subject to opposition.
“Bringing in a bus stop is not simple, there is a lot of ‘not at my back door’ going on,” he said. “People object to a bus stop outside their house and then we have to adjust where it is to go so it can be quite difficult to tie a location down for a bus stop,” Mr Harley explained.
