‘I had to sit in wet clothes all the way to Dublin’- locals in Foxford are fed up of waiting in the rain for their bus
Residents in Foxford, County Mayo, are in need of a bus shelter.
For years, locals have braved pouring rain and bitter winds with no shelter to protect them while they wait for the buses to arrive - they have had enough.
There are three bus stops in the town, two on the N26 Chapel Road beside the Admiral Brown memorial statue, and one outside the post office on Providence Road.
None are covered, leaving locals exposed to the elements while waiting for their bus.
They say it is unfair that a busy town like Foxford has no protection for passengers, while neighbouring villages such as Straide and Ballyvary have bus shelters in place.
With winter approaching, the lack of basic shelter is becoming a pressing issue, particularly for older residents travelling to hospital appointments in Castlebar, Galway and Dublin.
"It's a terrible ongoing situation that needs resolution as an urgent priority from the relevant agencies that [have] the power to make it happen," said Foxford resident Oliver Murphy.
"If there are plans to have bus shelters rolled out across our county, we want Foxford to be included as a matter of urgent priority. It is a disgrace in this day and age," he said, "It is far from ideal to have commuters exposed to inclement weather, while making journeys in wet clothing."
Patricia Roche, who caught the early bus to Dublin this week, described the situation as "scandalous."
"[I] waited in the strong winds and torrential rain this morning at 1:10 am for a bus, not even a branch to shelter under. [I] had to sit in wet clothes all the way to Dublin," she said, "The Dublin bus was exactly on time, no delay, but one has to stand out on the footpath, without shelter, in order to see the bus coming."
Buses are sometimes delayed entering Foxford due to roadworks or traffic, through no fault of any single person. However, these delays leave residents waiting outside for longer than expected, sometimes in horrible conditions.
"It's so unfair on the elderly too, standing in the rain waiting on buses in the rain, going to hospital appointments, and having to sit wet and cold on a bus," said resident Joan McGinty.
"[It's] not the fault of the drivers or bus companies, but it's a problem for the people standing waiting for that extra 15 to 20 minutes in the cold and rain – mostly our older generation," she pointed out.
Local councillor Neil Cruise acknowledged the frustration of residents, but said the matter is more complex than it appears.
"Comparing Foxford to Straide and Ballyvary is like comparing apples to oranges," he said.
While Straide and Ballyvary have shelters, he explained that the layout of their bus stops is very different. In both, buses can pull in off the carriageway and into a lay-by, and shelters can be placed safely away from the road.
"The burning issue here is that buses cannot pull in off the carriageway. They can pull in in Ballyvary, they can pull in in Straide, but they can't pull in off the road in Foxford," said Cllr Cruise.
He warned that installing a shelter at the existing N26 stops could create a hazard as bus shelters would cover the pavement and could encroach onto the road.
"The bus shelters, they might not look it, but they are quite large. You can't have them extending out onto the road. The chances are that a truck passing could clip it, and the next thing, someone is hurt underneath," he said.
Cllr Cruise stressed that he is working to find a solution, but said it will not be quick or straightforward.
He has been making a case to Mayo County Council officials to move the bus stops in Foxford away from the main road, so that shelters can be installed. However, this is a complicated and expensive process.
"For years, I've been working to try to get a place where buses can pull in off the road, but that is becoming a big problem because I have run into various difficulties. If we have to get a place for the buses to pull in off the road in that area, we are going to have to CPO land," he said.
"It is complex and it will involve us having to buy lands and get substitute car parking for the school and the church. There are a myriad of issues, but we are working on a solution with the powers that be in Mayo County Council. I am working on it, but it is going to be a costly solution, and it is going to take some time."
This article has been funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.