The rollout begins this year and is set to be completed in 2025.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) have allocated €900,000 in funding which will see 20 bus shelters constructed throughout Limerick and an additional 11 bus shelters earmarked for the Limerick metropolitan area.
The rollout of these bus shelters is part of the long-term Connecting Ireland plan by the NTA to increase rural bus services by approximately 25% nationally.
This funding follows the €630,000 allocated in 2023 which saw only five bus shelters constructed in the metropolitan area and is a significant increase from the €100,000 spent in 2022.
Last year’s funding saw Limerick become one of the first local authorities to construct bus shelters in rural areas with under 1,500 people.
Mayor of the City and County of Limerick, Councillor Gerald Mitchell, claimed that last year’s rollout of the bus shelters was a “huge success.”
“These shelters are a vital resource for many communities as people look to avail of enhanced local public transport services, in line with local and national transport policy.
“Limerick is continuing to upgrade and enhance its transport infrastructure at a pace and a standard that is of the envy to many other areas across the country.”
Sean McGlynn, who is the senior engineer with the Active Travel team at Limerick City and County Council, said that the rollout comes following continuing significant demand in Limerick despite previous funding. “We’re aware of the significant demand that is still there within many communities across Limerick city and county for more bus shelters,” he said.
“We’re delighted the NTA has matched us in that ambition and approved a very ambitious funding application from the Active Travel team. It is a particularly significant announcement for county Limerick, with around €500,000 of the allocation to be spent in the county alone.
“Many towns and villages will now have shelters on stream before the end of the year, continuing the momentum of the programme’s rollout in 2023.”
The Active Travel department are now assessing the exact sites that will receive the new shelters with one being earmarked along the Dublin Road.
John O’Callaghan, who is the executive engineer at the local authority’s Active Travel department, revealed in February of this year that the Dublin Road in Castletroy, where the late Joe Drennan tragically lost his life following a hit and run incident, may be included in the rollout.
