No money could make up for the loss of privacy

Residents on planned bus corridor say space and parking is vital

RESIDENTS living along routes likely to be affected by new bus corridor proposals in the capital have said money will not compensate them for the loss of their gardens.

Measures introduced under the Core Bus Corridors project would see roads widened to accommodate 16 new high-speed bus routes. The National Transport Authority claims this would reduce some journey times by up to 50% and benefit the environment and other road users.

However, widening the roads would necessitate moving or removing part of some front gardens and parking spaces to allow for increased road space. Reports yesterday suggested the NTA’s promise of generous compensation could amount to €25,000 per square metre in some cases.

Yet many residents, especially those living close to busy roads, feel no amount of money could compensate them for the loss of their gardens and the privacy and space they offer.

Pensioner Patrick O’Connell, who lives on the Navan Road, said he would not welcome any attempts by the NTA to infringe on his property.

Parking is important to him and his family and he said they would not want to have to leave their cars on the busy roadway. ‘I’m not looking for compensation,’ he said. ‘I’m looking for them to leave me alone.’

Charles Convery has lived in the Navan Road area of Cabra for 60 years and said losing space in front of his house would pose a number of challenges, including ‘if there wasn’t room for two cars’. He added: ‘It is difficult to find parking here because of the bus lane out there and the cycle lane. I have to speculate on how I would feel if it was my garden and I wouldn’t be happy.’ He said that compensation would not make the proposal any more attractive.

Grandfather-of-six Paddy Farrell agreed compensation would not be a motivating factor if he were forced to surrender his garden. ‘I certainly wouldn’t want [it], the money wouldn’t interest me. I would consider spaces to park and things like that more important and to be back a bit from the road,’ he said.

The NTA says no homes have yet been identified as candidates for curtailments to gardens. It said those affected would be informed at the end of the summer before more concrete plans are drawn up in October.

‘Not looking for compensation’