New twist in Fermoy bus stop saga
The interminable saga of the location of a bus shelter at MacCurtain Street, Fermoy has taken another twist, as it is now proposed that it will not happen.
Speaking at Tuesday’s Fermoy Municipal District meeting, Cork County Council engineer Jonathan Cahill, said that the Cork Road bus shelter is now the preferred location with the MacCurtain Street location deemed not practicable, after a meeting with people in the area.
Councillors had raised serious opposition to locating the service at MacCurtain Street due to the impact on house holders and businesses.
Mr Cahill told the councillors that they would focus their efforts on the Cork Road shelter, but would also carry out works in MacCurtain Street which would limit the impact of a stop on local people and businesses.
Councillor Frank O’Flynn said he was delighted that the council’s engineering department had agreed with local councillors, saying that everyone was in agreement that it was in the wrong place. He said that it ‘had upset a lot of people’.
“I am also delighted that the existing bus shelter on Cork Road be promoted and used by a lot more people. Most people don’t even realise it is there,” he said.
Cllr O’Brien thanked the engineer for his work and said that she appreciated that he had been ‘ very patient with everyone on this’.
She thanked him for meeting the residents on the street and discussing their concerns.
“They were not totally against the bus stop, but were against the bus shelter,” she said.
NEW PLANS
Cllr Noel McCarthy also expressed his gratitude and said that he had raised the possibility of the bus shelter on Cork Road as far back as 2009 and said that no buses had stopped at the location. He said he was ‘very heartened’ by the news that the existing stop would be used.
Cllr William O’Leary also welcomed the development and also complimented the engineer for his patience.
Mr Cahill said he had drawn up new plans and asked councillors to examine them. He said he would meet with the locals again to get their views on the suitability.
Cllr O’Flynn said it was important that bus service customers know that the bus shelter is available on the old Cork Road.
“Let the word out loud and clear that the bus shelter is open for business, get the word out there. We have a facility that cost us nothing, it is on the way to Cork, there’s no problem there at all,” he added.
Mr Cahill will revert back to councillors at the next meeting with an update on the plan.