5 November 2021
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Sinn Féin TD Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire expressed deep reservations at the detail of the new Bus Connects bus route proposals
The proposals see the former 214 and 203 buses ended, and the replacement buses do not connect Togher and Ballyphehane with the City
“To me it is totally unacceptable that people in the Togher and large parts of Ballyphehane do not have direct access to the City. They would have to go in a loop by the hospital and around by apple to get in to Town.
That is madness, and it seems to me that this part of the City is badly served by these proposals. Many people who work in the City and many elderly people who want to access the City will now not be able to or have to endure a huge unwieldy route.
We cannot accept these proposals as they are, and we must ensure that they are changed.
I also have concerns in relation to the loss of connection that Passage West have suffered with Ringaskiddy and the Hospital and the loss of connection between Grange and the South Douglas Road, these are very important routes for schools.
While like any such consultation there are good and bad elements. I appreciate this is a draft, and that we can change it. But change it we must. There can be no way that we do not have a connection between Togher and Ballyphehane and the City centre, it would be disastrous for those communities, for commuters and for the elderly.”
