City councillor Quinlivan urges compromise over bus lane controversy
SINN Fein's Limerick northside councillor Maurice Quinlivan has appealed to all city councillors to support a compromise which will allow the first phase of the proposed green bus route to get under way.
There has been controversy over the last week, with controversial plans to construct a bus lane from Mallow Street to the county boundary along O'Connell Avenue dividing councillors.
But following a dramatic meeting last Monday, it was decided the issue should be deferred until a special meeting on September 13. Residents were left angry, because the majority of council members said they would vote to block the three kilometre bus lane.
It prompted northside councillor Tom Shortt, Labour, to introduce an amendment which will be debated on Monday week. The proposal calls for the first phase of the plan - up to the Greenpark Shopping Centre - to get under way, with the second half debated at a later date.
Cllr Quinlivan said: "As the existing bus lane from Raheen already built in the county area runs as far as Ballinacurra Creek it is obvious that the next phase will have to include at least the Ballinacurra Road section of the proposed green route.
"Construction on this section should begin as soon as possible and I would urge all councillors to support this. Local TDs should also show leadership on this issue and urge their party councillors to support Phase one of the Green Route through Ballinacurra Road."
Last week's meeting which saw the decision on bus lanes postponed prompted a group to be formed to support the €5m bus lane on the city's southern exit.
The GetLimerickMoving group fear Limerick could be left "isolated" if a bus lane is not built with money from the Department of Transport.
Cllr Quinlivan - one of the few councillors who supported a bus lane on the city's southern exit - called on those in favour to "lobby their local councillors to gain their support for starting this necessary piece of infrastructure."
"It is now time that all councillors to give real leadership and make decisions that will benefit the whole city however difficult that may be in the short term. Some city councillors also would be better served in realistically addressing the concerns of some residents living along the route of the proposed bus lane rather than delaying the inevitable.
"Following consultation between local residents and Limerick City Council I believe the vast bulk of these issues can be sorted out and overcome. Time and effort wasted in trying to scupper these plans would be much better spent in resolving some of the genuine concerns that do exist," he added.
"It would very remiss of us as civic leaders if we fail to show real leadership in tackling the issue of arresting the terrible decline of our city centre. This surely must mean adopting a positive approach to the improvement and expansion of the public transport system in the city so as to facilitate quick and easy access to and from the city centre."
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Tuesday 22 May 2012
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