‘Shame on them’: Kerry councillor attacks agency for two-year wait on bus signs
The KerrymanA Kerry councillor has taken aim at the National Transport Agency (NTA) after two years of waiting for traffic signs in a key connecting town.
“What is wrong with us? Why does it take so long to get two signs?” lamented Councillor Jackie Healy-Rae in a statement that seemed to sum up present day funding difficulties.
Bus stop signs for Farranfore remain elusive even after €500,000 was allocated to Kerry for countywide public transport infrastructure two years ago.
While the NTA has installed ground sockets in the ‘first phase’ of the Farranfore works, the second phase of erecting the signage is still to be carried out.
“Shame on them,” said Cllr Healy-Rae.
“It’s funny because how embarrassing it is at this stage, and how inept we are in getting simple things right.”
Councillors at the Castleisland and Corca Dhuibhne municipal district meeting noted that a bus stop sign had been set up with cable ties as a temporary measure, but Cllr Healy-Rae still found it “amazing” that the pledged infrastructure was nowhere to be seen.
The installation of bus stop signs forms part of a large programme of works across Tipperary, Cork and Kerry, with works being carried out by contractors elected by the NTA.
The agency said the infrastructure would be installed in December, but the €500,000 allocated for the Bus Stop Enhancement Programme had also come with the promise of bus stop shelters on national primary roads.
“When it first came it sounded like a marvellous thing altogether and now it’s turning out to be just an erection of signs, it’s pathetic,” said Councillor Fionan Fitzgerald.
“It’s a joke,” agreed Cllr Healy-Rae.
It comes after north Kerry councillors complained of the lack of bus shelters in their district area, despite funding allocated through the same national programme.
The NTA laid the blame for these particular shelters, promised to Ballybunion and Lixnaw village, at the feet of Kerry County Council, saying the projects had “fallen through the cracks” due to council staff turnover.
The council accepted that “without a doubt” that the projects been delayed but highlighted that the NTA were driving these bus stop installations
“They’re not asking for anything fancy, just a regular bus shelter so they can stand out of the rain and the elements,” said Councillor Tom Barry of Lixnaw village residents.
It was announced in February that 94 locations across Kerry were selected for bus stop installation by the NTA as part of the Bus Stop Enhancement Programme.
At the time, 43 of the bus stops were ready for installation, with 27 to be installed by the council and 16 more to be installed by a NTA contractor. A further 51 bus stops were to be installed after the required safety audits and approvals were received.
The council said the planning phase of the Ballybunion bus stop is hoped to commence in early 2026, while the best location for a shelter in Lixnaw is still being assessed.
Cllr Foley, however, replied that the council meets the NTA regularly and indicated his dissatisfaction with the way the matter had been dealt with.