"A bloody death trap" - Fears over Kilkenny people accessing bus stop

Councillors in Kilkenny City have conveyed their anxiety over what has been described as a 'death trap' for pedestrians trying to access bus stops.

Residents in Shandon Park and nearby estates have been forced to cross a dangerous stretch of road to access a local bus stop on the Dublin Road with calls to service the estates impacted directly.

"We have put people in a position on the Dublin Road at Shandon Park where we are encouraging the elderly to walk across a major Ring Road to get a bus," Cllr Eugene McGuinness told members of the Kilkenny City Municipal District.

"We are culpable for that, we shouldn't have done that and we have to address it.

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"We have forced elderly to cross over the Ring Road to get to a bus. Surely we could re-route because the bus system goes up the Dublin Road but it doesn't pick up anyone," he said, describing it as 'insane'.

In addition to extra bus routes, Cllr Eugene McGuinness also strongly argued for the clamping down of illegal parking, arguing the current system is leading to drivers parking in a number of housing estates across the city which is causing difficulties for local residents.

"We have to take a very strict view of illegal parking," he commented.

"We need extra bus routes to alleviate the parking issue,” adding a discussion is required on the whole transport system in Kilkenny City and its environs.

Cllr Andrew McGuinness shared similar concerns, stating, "I walked with some of those elderly people across to the bus stop, it’s a bloody death trap," he claimed.

"I wouldn’t let my kids do it and they are having to do it because of something that that was implemented.

"If they want to get that bus, they have to cross that road.

"They’re taking their lives into their own hands," he concluded.

Director of Services with Kilkenny County Council, Tim Butler recognised there is a 'specific need' for the people of Shandon Park but the local authority have to await the conclusion of a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) process.

Mr Butler noted until that process is completed an alteration to the KK1 and KK2 bus services would be 'unviable'.

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