This Article was published in the Evening Echo on Wednesday August 12th 2009.

Public Transport in Cork is under threat at the moment. The current economic climate is worrying. Bus Éireann have said that cuts to services are necessary to salvage what they believe will be a €30 million loss in profit to the company in 2009. Cork appears to be the county which will suffer most with suggestions that up to 50 cuts are on the cards.

Public transport is an important commodity. It provides social inclusion, social cohesion and public service. It allows people to get to and from work and partake in recreational activities. It allows the elderly to be mobile and schools easier to access.

Public transport removes cars from our roads. High levels of harmful gases are released when a car is used. CO2 emissions from Irish motor vehicles were in the region of 5 million tonnes in 2006, an increase of nearly 56% since 1998. Numerous environmental campaigns have been undertaken to encourage the use of public transport rather than cars to cut down on these emissions.

Traffic congestion is a problem throughout Cork city slowing down people’s attempts to travel around the city especially at peak times. A greater use of public transport would reduce this congestion and make travelling around the city easier.

Recently in Dublin, a new initiative was introduced creating a Green Corridor in College Green by restricting the area to public transport vehicles and cyclists. It is estimated that at least 7,000 private vehicles passed through this area at peak times which resulted in delays for buses of up to 40 minutes. The new initiative should see these delays curtailed.

The Cork Area Strategic Plan 2001-2020 (CASP) was introduced by Cork City and County Councils with the aims creating “a centre of excellence, learning and innovation,” and to ensure an “integrated transport system…to create conditions that will facilitate a change in attitudes towards the use of public transport.”

CASP saw many improvements in Cork public transport. Two new orbital routes – No 1 and No 19 – were introduced to widen the accessibility of some areas. A series of Green Routes are being introduced to facilitate effective traffic management to cut down on congestion those near completion are the No. 6 (Grange/Frankfield) and the No. 8 (Bishopstown). These routes have improved infrastructure and bus services, with the frequency between services greatly improved.

In 2008, Bus Éireann launched two further new routes, No. 16 and No. 10A in response to the rapid growth of suburbs in Cork. These services have been very warmly received by residents living in Maryborough and Rochestown who travel to the city centre on a daily basis. The No. 16 has been more popular than predicted.

The Midleton Railway which came into effect recently was also an objective of CASP, ensuring that those living outside the city can make the commute quicker, with less stress by reducing car dependency and traffic congestion.

All the positive impacts of CASP now look to be at risk.

As of yet the extent of the cuts by Bus Éireann are unknown. Many rumours are circulating as to what the proposed cuts will mean for Cork.

Reports suggest that up to 50 routes in Cork may be cut or re-routed. This would be a regressive step. In 2007, Bus Éireann saw an increase of 4 million passengers. So if this is the case. Are cuts to services justified?

‘An Bord Snip Nua’ proposes that cuts be made to subsidies that the Public Service Obligation makes to Bus Éireann. This will encourage the bosses of Bus Éireann to cut even more services.

Instead of cutting services, Bus Éireann should consider revising duplicated routes, improving reliability of service and maintaining a high level of service across the city.

The Government appears to have forgotten that a recession is not never-ending but will last at most a few years. It does not merit a regressive approach in the provision of vital public services.

The progress that was made by CASP and other transport initiatives will have been in vain if public transport is now the subject of savage cuts.

Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey, said “I am not interested in cutting bus passenger numbers or making life difficult for bus users. I want to do the direct opposite. The bus is and should remain the backbone of public transport.” Despite this statement it appears that this is not a Government objective.

By cutting public transport and encouraging car dependency the current Fianna Fail/Green Party Government has abandoned Green Party policies.

Recessions are tough on a country’s resources, but we still have to look at the future and not waste the investments already made in Cork public transport.