New proposals could see schoolchildren in Monea almost double their journey time in a bid to minimise danger on the roads.

This was one of the proposals heard at a meeting of the Regeneration and Community Committee on Tuesday, November 14 held in Omagh.

The proposal came via a letter from Translink, where Dermott McGirr, Service Delivery Manager for Ulsterbus Dungannon and Enniskillen said: “DFI have stated that to provide a hard standing and safe dropping off facility for pedestrians, would require extensive land take and vegetation clearance. DFI have noted that even if this was provided the passengers would still be required to cross the road.

Proposal

“It was proposed that any children wishing to get off at this junction would stay on the bus for a short period and be dropped off at the same location on the side next to the church and the Castletown Road as the bus makes its way back to Enniskillen on the return journey from Derrygonnelly.

“This proposal is considered a much safer option as a footway with street lighting already exists on this side of the road leading up past the church. We have recently liaised directly with some of the residents that use this stop regarding this proposal and are hopeful that an agreement can be reached for them to use this alternative stop.”

Daniel Healy, Divisional Roads Manager Western Division noted in a separate letter considered by Council: “I can confirm that while the current Local Transport Safety Measures (LTSM) budget for 2023-24 is fully allocated, the provision of a dropping off area at this location will be considered in future LTSM programmes.”

Councillor Adam Gannon, SDLP, admitted that the proposal on paper seemed promising, said: “We will have to see about viability when they [Translink and the DFI] talk to parents and users.”

He hit out that the journey time for school students could almost double as their bus would drive past Monea, onto Derrygonnelly before the school children exit on the return journey to Enniskillen in new plans proposed by Translink.

“They are talking about nearly doubling the journey time from 20 minutes to exactly 35 minutes, which is quite a significant increase, but I will be engaging with parents and students myself.”

Addressing the issue of road safety and bus safety, Sinn Féin Councillor Sheamus Greene, who is himself a bus driver, said: “Councillor Sheamus Greene, Erne East said: “It’s an ongoing problem at lots and lots of schools, where there is no proper parking bay or anywhere for buses to pull in and you’re up at schools and you’re ever dropping them on the far side of the road or trying to edge into the edging to a gateway and children are getting off on the roadside of the bus.”

Plea

Continuing with an impassioned plea, Councillor Greene added: “It’s dangerous, it’s a lack of investment, lack of thought, lack of care on behalf of the departments, the Department of Education particularly over the years where these things haven’t been developed and really should.

“I know a number of children over the years have ended up losing their life or been badly injured with cars and that passing buses while they are stopped, I don’t know why that isn’t a proposal that departments are considering, I would make a proposal to write to the Department of Education and the Department of Infrastructure to ask why that isn’t considered.”