Bus proposals will leave vulnerable people cut off
By Maurice Garvey
STORM Ali prevented a planned protest at the Bus Connects information session in Ballyfermot, but it did generate a howl of discontent.
People Before Profit TD Brid Smith presented the National Transport Authority with a “stack of submissions” in opposition to the proposed plans.
“The proposals will leave the most vulnerable in our community completely cut off from the local bus service they rely on,” said Deputy Smith.
She said she got assurance from the NTA that the plans had to be revised and that there would be another consultation “early next year”.
Residents at the session wrote out a list of their main concerns for the NTA, citing the proposed loss of the 79, 18 and 76 as “devastating.”
With the 18 set to be scrapped, residents say they will have to get four buses to the Children’s Hospital instead of one, six buses to St Vincent’s Hospital, and it will also affect people travelling to Stewarts Care in Palmerstown.
Residents say the loss of the 79 route will affect children going to the Model School in Inchicore, and isolate Spiddal Road residents.
Losing the 76 route, which links Ballyfermot and Chapelizod with Tallaght Hospital, will affect residents and students attending Ballyfermot College, whilst proposed changes to the 79A, will affect lower Ballyfermot residents, according to the submission.
