Lost bus stops in Waterford and Kilkenny are a casualty of the N25 saga
Bus Éireann have been asked to cease using the stops in Piltown and Grange Pic Larry Cummins.
Upgrade works on the N25 would solve the issues that led to the removal of the bus stop in Grange, but there is no funding available.
That is according to Director of Roads Gabriel Hynes at the October sitting of the Dungarvan-Lismore District Council.
Councillors raised the issue at this month’s Waterford City and County Council Plenary meeting and then again at the October district sitting.
Cllr Tom Cronin said that the removal of both the bus stop in Piltown and in Grange was “disappointing” and “shocking,” as they were well used by local people in rural areas.
He said that while the junction in Grange is highly dangerous and there have been accidents, the traffic calming measures already requested would solve the problem.
The councillor said he wasn’t sure why Piltown was affected.
Mr Hynes explained that Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) had carried out a review of bus stops on the national network where the speed limit is 100kph.
The review found that the stops in Piltown and Grange were very dangerous for pedestrians due to a lack of public lighting and the space shared with cars doing pick-ups and drop-offs.
So, the council wrote to Bus Éireann instructing them to cease using the stop from the end of the month.
But, he said, the wider issue is the need to upgrade the N25.
“I think politically we need to state as we have done in the past that the N25 needs to be upgraded from Middleton all the way to Kilkenny, and that is a political decision,” said Mr Hynes.
Mr Hynes said small, low-cost safety improvements, including traffic calming in Grange, could be carried out if there was funding.
But next year the priority will be Lemybrien.
“That is not going to happen in the short term.
"There is a funding issue with the national network- there has been an issue this year with TII funding that won't be fixed next year either,” said Mr Hynes.
Cllr Damien Geoghegan said he supported Cllr Cronin’s call and Cllr Nugent’s at the plenary meeting.
He said this was an issue at Carroll's Cross a few years ago and it took a tragedy to get the road fixed.
“TII completely rubbished the notion of doing works at Carrolls Cross and within a very short space of time regrettably, there was a tragic fatal accident at that particular junction and within months, there were diggers on the ground at Carrolls Cross, and we shouldn’t have to wait for the same thing to happen out in Grange for works take place there.
“I can totally understand the position you have been put in with TII in saying you know, remove the bus stops there because it's dangerous.
“TII should be stepping up to the plate and carrying out improvement works there.
"It’s an extremely dangerous junction, and traffic calming going through Grange would alleviate the problem,” said Cllr Geoghegan.
Mr Hynes said he agreed, but there are a lot of dangerous junctions between Youghal Bridge and Dungarvan.
He said some junctions need closing or separating, others need to be removed altogether.
But there isn’t anything they can do until they get approval and funding from the government.
“But unfortunately, you can pass the blame to TII.
"They don’t have the necessary funding to upgrade every junction on the N25 at this point in time, and we are doing them on a phased basis.
"We have done significant work at some of those junctions to improve safety over the last few years,” said Mr Hynes.
Cllr Nugent asked if Bus Éireann could move the bus stop in Grange to a nearby car park, as removing it altogether would be “going backwards”.
“You had to do what you had to do, Gabriel and the council had to do what they had to do.
"But is there a solution at the carpark in Grange that buses can't go across the road or whatever, in the long term?” said Cllr Nugent.
Mr Hynes said there were options for collecting and dropping off passengers in both Piltown and Grange, the carpark being one, but that was a matter for Bus Éireann.
He said he cannot direct them as to where to move the bus stop, only that they can’t use the existing site.
Speaking following the meeting, Sinn Féin TD for Waterford Conor McGuinness and Dungarvan Councillor Kate O’Mahoney have expressed serious concern at removal of the bus stops.
They described the move as a “significant blow to rural connectivity and another example of how State agencies are leaving West Waterford behind”.
Deputy McGuinness said that while the decision was made on the grounds of road safety, the removal of services is because of a failure ion the part of the Government to upgrade the N25.
“This is exactly the kind of situation I have been warning about for years. I have repeatedly raised the need for proper safety works and junction improvements along the N25 — at Grange, Piltown Cross, and other dangerous sections.
“Those calls have consistently fallen on deaf ears. Now, instead of delivering the upgrades that are long overdue, TII and the Department have taken the lazy option and simply removed a public transport service that local people depend on,” said Deputy McGuinness.
He said the change would have a significant impact on residents in Ardmore, Grange, and Piltown who rely on public transport to access work, education, and services.
“This decision will deepen rural isolation, force more people into cars, and make it harder for older people and students to get to Dungarvan, Youghal, Cork or Waterford. Communities in this part of the county were already hit by the top-down changes to Local Link services late last year.
"People here feel abandoned by a system that refuses to plan properly for rural areas,” said Deputy McGuinness.
Cllr. Kate O’Mahoney said there is deep frustration locally at the lack of consultation and the sense that West Waterford continues to be treated as an afterthought.
“People in Grange, Ardmore and Piltown are proud, resilient communities. But they have every right to feel angry. Time and again, decisions are made over their heads — decisions that make daily life harder.
"The removal of the Bus Éireann stop is just the latest example of how this area is being left behind.”
“The bus stop in Grange is an essential transport link for the local community, serving people with a wide range of needs.
"It provides vital access to hospitals in Cork and Waterford for those attending medical appointments, it supports young people travelling to college, helping them pursue education and training opportunities, and it also enables workers to commute to their jobs.
"Any reduction in bus services directly contradicts national and local aims to encourage people to use public transport,” said Cllr O’Mahoney.
Deputy McGuinness and Cllr. O’Mahoney say they have sought urgent meetings with Bus Éireann, TII, and Waterford City and County Council officials to press for the decision to be reviewed and for long-promised road safety works to be prioritised.
