2 November 2021
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
To take part in the consultation process, visit: https://busconnects.ie/busconnects-cork/
Pictured are Denis McCarthy Bus Eireann Training Supervisor, Anne Graham National Transport Authority CEO and Stephen Kent Bus Éireann CEO. Images by Gerard McCarthy
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has today published its Draft New Bus Network for Cork. The redesign of the bus network is one of the nine key elements of BusConnects Cork that aims to transform the city’s bus system, making public transport more useful to more people.
Under the proposals contained in the new Draft Network Report, the level of bus services in Cork will increase by 36% with shorter waits and more direct routes for commuters within the city. 34% more people will live close to a frequent service.
The proposals will also result in more residents of the city and areas within the Cork Metropolitan Area having access to the public transport network with Little Island, Cobh, Carrigaline, Ringaskiddy, Glanmire, Ballincollig and Blarney among those areas with new routes.
The redesigned bus network will provide a more coherently planned, higher capacity, more understandable network for those within the Cork Metropolitan Area while paving the way for the future introduction of Luas within the city.
Services will be organised around high frequency routes within the city centre with route branches extending out to our areas of the city. Additional weekend services will also be provided.
Fares will be simplified in a way that will make interchange seamless. Customers will not have to pay extra to change between bus, rail or future Luas services within that 90-minute period.
The new network report being unveiled today has been prepared by Jarrett Walker & Associates, a US based firm which specialises in designing metropolitan public transport systems, in collaboration with Bus Éireann, Cork City Council and Cork County Council.
This follows on from the publication of the Choices Report in July which set out the transport choices that could be used to structure the redesign of the bus network in Cork and the follow-on public consultation. Close to 1200 responses were received as part of the first round of consultation.
Consultation on the draft new bus network launched today will run for six weeks. The redesign will be finalised in the first quarter of 2022 with the new network being rolled out from 2023.
Eamon Ryan, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications of Ireland, said:
“This is a milestone for the BusConnects project which will make Cork a cleaner, greener and more liveable city. BusConnects in Cork will mean increased services and frequency making it easier for everyone to choose public transport to get around – be it to school, work or anywhere else.
Delivering this project will mean that Cork will have a more efficient and frequent service that people can really rely on to cater for their transport needs.”
Anne Graham, CEO of the NTA, said:
“Cork is a growing city. This brings with it an increasing demand for public transport. Through significant investment over recent years, we’ve seen a 50% growth in public transport usage from 2013 to 2019. However, there is potential to enhance services ever future.
That’s why over the past four months, the NTA has been engaging with the people of Cork in shaping a new bus network that meets their future needs. Their responses have helped to inform the draft new bus network which we’re publishing today as part of BusConnects Cork.
The proposed network will bring vital improvements to how the bus system is organised. It will see a significant increase in bus services within the Cork Metropolitan Area as well as creating new connections to schools, jobs and public services. A simpler network and fare structure will make it easier to get around Cork using public transport.
We’re confident this new network along with the other changes being introduced through BusConnects Cork will make travelling on public transport a convenient and sustainable option for more people across the city.
We want to hear your views on the new network that has been proposed. By taking part in the online consultation process, we can ensure the final network design can support the increase in the number of people using public transport in Cork.”
Stephen Kent, CEO of the Bus Éireann, said:
“We are enthusiastic and excited about the transformation BusConnects means for everyone living, working, studying and socialising in Cork, for the Cork economy and environment. Thinking ‘bus’ instead of ‘car’ positively impacts on quality of life for everyone in Cork, with less congestion, shorter travel times and as new zero / low emission fleet also begin to arrive to fulfil our climate action commitments. Bus Éireann’s experience is that increased frequency of services in Cork quickly results in much greater passenger numbers.
The new proposed BusConnects network will dramatically change the public transport experience in Cork and bus services can be enhanced comparatively quickly. We look forward to working with the NTA to facilitate and deliver this new future for public transport in Cork over the next two years.”
Michelle Poyourow, Jarrett Walker & Associates said:
“Over the course of the summer, we heard from the people of Cork about their priorities for bus services and how the network could be altered. The close to 1200 responses received have helped to shape the draft network being presented in today’s report.
By simplifying the network and schedules and ensuring shorter waits and more direct routes, we can connect more people across the Cork Metropolitan Area.”
BusConnects Cork is vital to realising the ambition of the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy developed in connection with Cork City Council and Cork County Council to increase the number of people using public transport in Cork fourfold by 2040.
Political reaction from Green PartyGreen Party Cork City Cllr Oliver Moran has given his opinion on the Cork ‘BusConnects’ plan this evening:
“My immediate reaction is that that the new routes look very promising. Two key demands from residents here in the north east were to connect Glanmire to Mayfield directly and to extend the bus service to places like Kilcully.
“That’s now in the offing. The proposed new service will extend the current 208 from Mayfield to Glanmire every 15 minutes. Rural areas like Kilcully will have a new service for the first time ever, running every 2 hours.
“A map of the proposed new routes will be delivered to every household in the city as part of the public consultation. That’s running until 10 December.
“After that, some hard decisions about reallocating road space and changes to road layouts will come in early 2022. We need to prioritise buses on our roads to ensure the frequency and reliability of the new service. That’s the only way public transport can compete with private cars, which we need to reduce traffic on the roads and meet our climate obligations.
“The proposed new routes don’t assume these changes, but without them, the service will inevitably be unreliable and busses will continue to be caught up in private traffic.
“Many people have asked about Cork-specific branding. I think that would be a good thing to encourage local pride and commitment to the changes that will be necessary for the improved services. Unfortunately, the NTA want to run with a single national livery for the busses. It may seem like a small thing, but I think as part of the consultation people should make it clear that that’s something we want here in Cork.”
