Chamber welcomes draft BusConnects plan but outlines more work needed for business in certain areas

Limerick Chamber, in their submission to the National Transport Authority (NTA) on the Draft BusConnects Plan for Limerick, welcomes the significant benefit that it will have for local business but recommends some key areas to enhance the plan.

READ THE FULL LIMERICK CHAMBER SUBMISSION HERE

Limerick Chamber, the largest business representative body in the Mid-West, has called welcomed the extensive work undertaken by the NTA but recommends six key asks to ensure the plan is optimal for businesses.

Dee Ryan, CEO of Limerick Chamber said:

We have had extensive engagement with our members over the last several weeks to understand both the positives of the draft plan and areas which need a little more work. As part of this we undertook various surveys for business groups to understand their needs further. There are a lot of positives to be taken from the plan; the inclusion of a 24-hour bus route, the elimination of interchange fares, a route along the dock road and into new residential development at Mungret. The introduction of an all-day bus route through Raheen Business Park is most welcome and will be sure to benefit the significant numbers of employment in the area.

However, there are a number of areas that the Chamber would like to see more work on; our members need a mobility plan for the city centre, there are a number of transport projects being brought forward currently and it’s leading to concerns that they could negatively impact mobility in the city centre without a detailed plan. We would also like to see more of a focus on orbital routes and routes to county towns (including Shannon) that have the potential to decrease journey times. And of course, a bus route to the Annacotty Business Park is of critical importance

Seán Golden, Chief Economist and Director of Policy said:

From a business perspective the engagement and the consultation process with the NTA has been great throughout the process. We extensively engaged with all members throughout the process but we paid particular close attention to the lack of a bus route to the Annacotty Business Park. The park is home to 33 companies and over 3,000 employees. As part of our work with the business park we undertook a transport survey to understand if there was a business case for a bus route and the results were overwhelmingly positive in favour of increased public transport. Currently, 87% of the respondents travel by private car to work, with 81% of people saying they drive because of a lack of an alternative. 80% of respondents said that they would use a bus route if it was available. Not including a bus route in the final plan would be a missed opportunity for those in the park wishing to expand, but it would also encourage further private car use which is not in keeping with national policy.

We’d also like to see a greater focus on transport-oriented development and maximising the use of land around potential park and rides. Creating these transport nodes in conjunction with appropriate housing options is a sure-fire way to reduce congestion and promote more sustainable transport options

READ THE FULL LIMERICK CHAMBER SUBMISSION HERE

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