Parents and Principals of children in South-East Clare have launched a petition aiming to overrule a controversial new school bus service operating in the region.
It comes just over a week into the roll-out of Bus Eireann’s pilot programme on the Limerick-Shannon-Ennis corridor that aims to integrate students on public transport.
Fierce opposition has been voiced by the parents of students in Newmarket-on-Fergus, Cratloe and Sixmilebridge since becoming aware of the Department of Education’s plans to reform their traditional school bus service.
It involves 440 post-primary students from the three villages travelling to either St. Caimin’s or St.Patrick’s Comprehensive in Shannon on a public bus service rather than a dedicated school service.
Now the service has been in effect for over a week, parents and principals representing both schools have continued to raise significant health and safety concerns.
Among them is that seat belts are not available on the busses operating on the route as according to Bus Eireann they’re not mandatory on coaches limited to below 65 KM/H, which are not solely dedicated for use as school transport.
Sixmilebridge parent Aoife Keogh believes this approach is contradictory, is not what parents signed up for and that children were much safer on last years bus service which was fulfiled by private contractors.
The goal of the petition is to use the power of the Oireachtas to overrule Minister Norma Foley’s decision to transfer 440 children from last year’s dedicated school bus service to a public service instead.
The parents have already secured some early wins through their campaigning as a dedicated bus service has been restored in Cratloe.
Additionally a second collection point has been established for Sixmilebridge students at the GAA Club, which will help to alleviate pressure as the original plan had 344 students gathering at McGregor’s Pub over a 35-minute period.
Concerns remain though, over the collection of students opposite St.John and Paul’s Church in Shannon in the evening, as multiple busses are often arriving at the same time, leading to heavy traffic congestion.
Newmarket-On-Fergus Parent Aisling Halpin insists its causing severe safety hazards for all manner of road users.
You can listen to the full interview here:
