Students left waiting on a delayed bus outside Limerick school

CHILDREN leaving a Mungret school at the end of the day were forced to wait more than two hours for a bus.

That’s according to Dave Tobin, whose daughter Olivia is in second year at Mungret Community College, and is a member of the parents association.

He pointed out there is a bus at 3.54pm from the area -but with the school bell sounding at 3.50pm, children would have missed it.

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According to the timetable for the 304A service, the next service on a weekday departing Mungret is at 4:20pm, then 4:40pm, then 5.10pm and 5.40pm.

But Mr Tobin said, the bus did not show up for these connections, leaving students stranded.

“The next bus was at 6.12pm. So there was a gap of almost two-and-a-half hours where they had no way to get home. We had a lot of parents messaging talking about children who were struck there - children as young as 13-years-of age and parents needing to make emergency plans,” he said. While this delay, on Thursday, October 9, is an extreme case, he said the bus’s reliability is “hit-and-miss”.

The 304A bus service was only extended to Mungret in July, with the area home to new schools and housing developments.

Mr Tobin says parents and children are delighted the bus service is in place, after a big push to get it.

But he’s called for buses to be prioritised for the Mungret area during school dropping-off and pick-up times.

He believes when there is heavy demand at the other end of the route - in Castletroy and Monaleen - buses are directed there.

Cllr Maria Donoghue, who is on the board of management at the Mungret college said if a reliable bus service is in place now for children, they will continue using it for life.

She acknowledged the delay to the 304A - which also connects to Raheen and Dooradoyle to the city centre - is scary for younger children, and parents might not have the transport to pick their children up.

Sarah Robinson, a second year student at Mungret Community College said: “I’ve often waited at the bus stop only for scheduled buses not to arrive. If the service were more reliable, more students would use it, helping to reduce traffic in the area.”

“The bus is essential for school students as it ensures we get home safely and provides the chance to travel with our friends. For those living far from school, it offers a reliable way to get home on time without needing lifts or walking long distances,” she added.

Fine Gael councillor Daniel Butler, has organised for National Transport Officials to appear at the November meeting of the metropolitan district, which he leads.

“We need to ensure that public transport is dependable, especially for our students who rely on it daily. Reliable access to education is fundamental,” he said.

“Parents and students deserve confidence that the bus will get them to school on time, and I’ll continue to press for action until that is achieved.”

A Bus Eireann spokesperson blamed works at Punch’s Cross coming from the construction of the HSE’s new surgical hub for the delays. This has caused tailbacks for the last few weeks.

But they added now these are complete, there will be a big improvement in punctuality.