Cllr Ó Brádaigh said: “Dodsborough is one of the older residential parts of Lucan and currently transitioning to embrace surrounding newer community developments. This is a core established community in Lucan, comprising of a population dependent on essential local service access and drastically in need of an improved transport service. The much larger nearby developments, such as Shackleton, Hallwell, Gandon and St Helen’s, comprise mostly of younger working families lumbered with new hefty mortgages and crucially dependent on a good network to get to work.
“Despite the goodwill and presence of ‘TFI/Dublin Bus Ambassadors’ on the ground over the weekend at key stops to address questions regarding bus numbers, changes and route connections, this simply doesn’t address the absence of a bus to service Shackleton or Hallwell. The new local feeder L51 and L52 buses are really welcome routes, however they are limited and only once hourly. This too presents a shortcoming for folks needing to connect with the C-Spines.
“There is a very palpable sense of frustration from folks that their earlier concerns were totally lost or ignored, amongst the 72,000 submissions as part of the public consultation.
“I walked these areas on the first day of the launch of the new service on Sunday and again spoke with residents, passengers, inspectors and drivers on Monday morning to hear their concerns. The need for the opening of Adamstown Boulevard and a suitable location for a turning circle must be urgently addressed in order to bring a bus service right into Shackleton, voiced loudest amongst concerns. This is a ‘here and now’ issue that needs immediate thinking caps on by South Dublin County Council, Dublin Bus and importantly the developer in question. The lack of sheltered buses stops was also brought to my attention.
“Despite a sense of folks wishing to be optimistic and welcome an improvement of services generally, there is a sense of concern for those dependent on a bus service in this part of West Lucan.This comes following the weekend for delivery of the new service with BusConnects Phase 2, seeking to promote and build upon a positive message of efficient user-friendly public transport, and encouraging the move toward greater public transport use.
“Lucan Sinn Féin conducted extensive and exhaustive survey work prior to the recent onset of the Covid19 pandemic – this was conducted door to door, moving to a postal survey engagement as soon as restrictions kicked in. The outcome of these findings were clearly illustrated in the report delivered by local activists to the survey area, amounting to almost 4,000 homes in West Dublin. These included both Dodsborough and the newer larger developments.
A full detailed booklet of the Sinn Féin 2020 Lucan Transport Survey can be obtained by contacting dobradaigh@cllrs.sdublincoco.ie.
