Ballybunion to see first bus shelter while other parts of north Kerry left waiting

By Alastair Tibbs, The Kerryman

Construction is due to start on Ballybunion’s first bus shelter as the government’s bus stop enhancement scheme begins to deliver in the north of the county.

Kerry County Council said construction of the shelter could start in May provided the applications receive the necessary approvals, at a recent Listowel Municipal District meeting.

The proposed location for the bus stop is at the top of Kit Ahern Road, adjacent to the bus stop at The Scallops.

Councillor Michael Foley, who has raised the need for a bus shelter in Ballybunion many times, welcomed the progress.

“There will be a lot of people onto me about the bus shelter, and it’s badly needed in Ballybunion…that’s good news,” he said.

Councillor Aoife Kennelly also welcomed the announcement, warning that people with visual difficulties were ‘struggling’ to get on the buses.

“The sooner it happens the better…the lack of a bus stop of anything visible is causing a lot of problems,” she said.

The council said the design is complete and would go out for public consultation, following formal approval from the National Transport Authority.

Councillor Tom Barry raised the plight of Lixnaw residents who have been looking for a shelter for years. He emphasised that people were standing out in all weather conditions waiting for the bus to collect them.

Kerry County Council replied that they were assessing all bus stops in the Municipal District to enable them to prioritise locations by need.

This meant there was a considerable body of work before individual projects were progressed, they said.