Road safety concerns spur bus stop consultations for Kilkenny towns

Concerns that the proposed placement of new bus stops might inadvertently cause a traffic safety issue were raised at the recent meeting of Callan Thomastown municipal district councillors.

Cllr Brian Cleere said he was concerned about road safety for the location of the Bennettsbridge bus stop. He said there is a farm entrance nearby and there could be heavy agricultural vehicles trying to pass or come from the farm on the Bennettsbridge/ Thomastown road. He urged people to ‘keep an eye out’ for public consultation.

Meanwhile, he reassured residents of Thomastown that two bus stops proposed for the town centre won’t affect the availability of disabled parking spaces.

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Cllr Deirdre Cullen, who campaigned for bus shelters in Bennettsbridge, Thomastown and Ballyhale, welcomed the proposal for Bennettsbridge.

The bus stop project will include a raised pedestrian crossing and footpath, she said, adding: “I am absolutely thrilled finance has been granted for these shelters, it’s great to see.”

Councillors were told there is a plan in place for bus stops on the ‘priority one’ list, but Cllr Joe Sheridan said he’d now like to see a ‘timetable’ for the priority two stops.

For example, he said, the Fiddown to Kilkenny bus makes five return trips daily but it’s not ‘priority one’ so no work has been planned. “I’d like to see some money allocated for the 891 route, with information and timetables on each stop,” he said.