The case for additional stops and even a third route for the Portlaoise Bus Service was made at a meeting yesterday.
Members of the Portlaoise Municipal District, in two separate motions, have called for the service to be expanded.
The current service has two routes with a combined total of 42 stops.
Firstly, Fine Gael Councillor Paddy Buggy asked for an additional stop to be installed at the retirement village in Kilminchy.
He explained how people living there believed there would be a stop at that location and were disappointed that it wasn’t.
He received support on this matter from Independent Councillor Tommy Mulligan who said that elderly people ‘should be prioritised’.
Later in the meeting, Fianna Fail’s Catherine Fitzgerald tabled a motion looking for the bus service to be extended out the Abbeyleix Road.
She also requested more stops on the Dublin Road and one at the graveyard in Portlaoise.
In relation to the Abbeyleix Road, Cllr Fitzgerald said: “There are a lot of elderly people living in a range of estates and houses on the Abbeyleix Road.
“It has been said that the new layout of that road prohibits bus stops as it isn’t wide enough. Is that the case?”
Responding on that point, Director of Services Simon Walton confirmed that this wasn’t the case and the road could take bus stops.
Speaking on the Dublin Road, Cllr Fitzgerald said: “It is majorly disappointing that there are no stops on much of the Dublin Road.
“There is nearly a mile between the stops along there. You have Fieldbrook, two prisons, Midoc, St Fintan’s Hospital and more along there.
“It is clear that the way the routes were drawn up was wrong and doesn’t serve the people here.
“Residents and workers are annoyed. They feel neglected that the two routes leave out the Dublin Road.
“The service is absolutely brilliant but this really needs to be looked at.”
Supporting Cllr Fitzgerald, Independent Cllr Caroline Dwane-Stanley said: “I have people from the Ridge Road looking for a stop too.
“Now I don’t know how that would happen as you can barely fit a car along parts of the road.
“But there are certainly gaps in the routes that could be solved.”
Labour’s Marie Tuohy added: “The service is life changing for so many people.
“Many would have previously had to pay for a taxi to take them to do their shopping and now they can just hop on the bus.”
Independent Tommy Mulligan said: “There is talk of a third route that could take in Rathleague and Togher Woods.
“Portlaoise have plans for major developments in Rathleague and having the bus service attached to it would be a big help as we forecast far greater numbers in the club.”
Responding to it all, Director of Services Simon Walton said that a he would issue a letter to the National Transport Authority outlining what the Councillors had said.
He also provided some figures on the numbers of people that are using the service on a daily basis.
He said: “The highest day so far saw 1,300 people use the bus and this compares extremely well with provincial towns who have a similar service.
“St Patrick’s Day, for example, had 1,000 use it and I know the NTA are very pleased with how it is all going.”
Mr Walton said he planned to return to the chamber in July with a more detailed account of the usage of the bus service and the BOLT bikes service.
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