Speaking at the January meeting for the Metropolitan Area, Fine Gael Councillor, Frank Quinlan, raised the issue of multiple busses being cancelled in Waterford without any notice, leaving elderly people, students and workers stranded with no option but to be late or cancel their appointments.
“I just wanted to raise the issue of the TFI bus service in Waterford County,” said Cllr. Quinlan. “I looked it up recently, and there were 25 routes cancelled in the last few days alone, in the weather we are after having. It is absolutely disgraceful. There is no notice given, there is very little on their website.
According to Cllr Quinlan it was the busses’ condition that led to the cancellations. “I discovered then it’s not drivers sick or traffic problems, it’s actually maintenance issues with the busses. The buses are breaking down and only yesterday I saw one broken down on the Quay, there was another one at Hillview broken down.
“There is people being left stranded with hospital appointments, getting kids from school, going to work and there is no consideration whatsoever. A lot of these busses are not fit for purpose.
“Could we write to someone in TFI or the Minister for Transport, and see can the services become more reliable?
“We are trying to get people out of cars, onto busses and encourage them to use public transport. But if they are breaking down and the service and routes are cancelled with no notice given and people standing in all sorts of weather in the winter, you wouldn’t blame them for getting into their car, and that’s creating the traffic in Waterford.
“It's a serious issue that needs to be addressed.”
In response Mayor for the Metropolitan Area, Adam Wyse, agreed to bring the matter up with the Minister for Transport the next day during his visit to Waterford.
After the meeting, Cllr. Quinlan showed The Munster Express a graphic indicating that 5 Waterford bus services were cancelled in one day. Cllr. Quinlan reiterated that this was not at all acceptable as families and vulnerable people are being left in limbo, or with no choice but to cancel hospital appointments or be late for work and school.
A similar issue was raised during the Any Other Business section of the Comeragh district meeting by Independent Councillor, Declan Clune, who said the Bus Éireann service 354 from Dunmore East to Portlaw via the City was potentially dangerous for the elderly passengers it should be servicing.
“The bus is completely unsuitable for elderly people. Whatever about getting on the bus there has been a couple of falls of people getting off the bus, because obviously it is considerably high, there’s low footpaths.
…elderly people tend to be the highest uses of the service because they are not driving.”
Cllr. Clune then asked that they contact the service provider for a more suitable, lower vehicle.
AARON KENT
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
