Senator Eugene Murphy has cast doubt on the level of commitment there is to prioritising a much-needed Williamstown bus shelter.
He says the project does not seem to be a priority at present for the National Transport Agency (NTA) or Galway County Council.
Following correspondence with the National Transport Agency, the senator expressed concern that it will be some time before this project proceeds.
Senator Murphy welcomed the recent announcement about bus shelters throughout East Galway, but says he is very disappointed with the Williamstown situation.
“There are a number of people, including school students, catching buses there each day and they are entitled to have a bus shelter like any other community in the region”, he said.
“Unfortunately, weather conditions are deteriorating in this country, and we cannot have people standing in the cold and wet at bus stops”, he added. “The NTA, in my view, are committed to putting the provision there –but I’m afraid it is being pushed down the line.
“If the bus stop point must change, let’s have a discussion and get it changed. If there are concerns about private properties close to the present bus stop, then let us deal with that issue also. It is not beyond the people of the region to have a solution to this, and they should be asked for their opinions”.
Senator Murphy said he would be writing to Junior Transport Minister James Lawless in the coming days to see if the matter can be rectified.
“I understand there are challenges in relation to the Williamstown bus stop shelter, but surely such matters can be solved without having years of a delay”, he concluded.
