A main road into Limerick city has a transport priority lane - but no buses to serve it

A MAJOR road into Limerick city has a transport priority lane for buses despite local bus services for that area not being in place.

The construction of a number of new housing estates has seen the number of people living along Condell Road on the city’s northside explode.

But Sinn Fein councillor Sharon Benson says many feel “isolated” due to the lack of a scheduled bus service for the area.
This comes despite a bus lane long being in place there.

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BusConnects, which is expected to see a raft of new routes introduced to Limerick will not be in place until next year, 2027.

Cllr Benson says residents can’t wait that long. “There are lot of people out there still not driving and the distance to schools is a big problem for them. I’ve spoken with people in the area and it’s their biggest issue,” she said.

The northside councillor pointed out the local primary schools are at least a 30 minute walk from the new estates, with secondary schools 45 minutes of a trek.

“Condell Road is the only road on the northside that has a bus lane - but does not have a bus service,” she added.

Council is to write to the National Transport Authority (NTA), which is responsible for bus services in Limerick, to get it to put a service in place for the area immediately.

This came after Cllr Benson’s motion received widespread support.

Cllr Shane Hickey-O’Mara, Social Democrats, seconded the motion, adding: “The population has gone up by so much in that part of the city and will keep going up, and they don’t have access to the most basic of facilities. I think we are failing them.”

Fine Gael councillor Olivia O’Sullivan asked the letter to NTA outline the stops needed along Condell Road: Clonmacken, Monaire, Ted Russell Park and Westfields Wetlands.

Priomh-chomhairleoir Cllr Catherine Slattery highlighted a similar issue at Bloodmill Road.