Coach driver Brian Kerrigan argues that recent footpath extension works on Markievicz Road in Sligo have left the street too risky and lacking space for a visiting tour coach.
New Layout Changes Force Coach Driver to Drop Sligo
- Coach driver Brian Kerrigan plans to drop Sligo from his 2027 tour stop list due to new layout changes.
- Footpath extensions on Markievicz Road have reduced available bus and coach parking spaces.
- Local and national transport services, including Local Link and Bus Éireann route 458, face severe positioning constraints near the local shelter.
Footpath Extensions Prevent Large Coach from Dropping Passengers
Kerrigan, a regular visitor from Urlingford, County Kilkenny, said that he arrived in Sligo with a coach group and took his usual route from the bypass along Wine Street over Hyde Bridge and into Markievicz Road, Irish Independent reported.
He expressed surprise at seeing how the footpath had been extended out onto the roadway. Driving a 14.3-metre coach, he found a Local Link coach and a Bus Éireann route 458 coach parked up around the corner. Because of his vehicle’s length, he was unable to drop off his passengers and had to leave Sligo.
Questions Raised Over Road Design
The layout changes have disrupted where local buses traditionally stop, forcing them to park further along the road and leaving less space for visiting vehicles. Kerrigan criticized the planning behind the project.
“What on earth were the city engineers thinking they were achieving by extending the footpath and reducing the bus spaces, where the path is extended is the area where the local buses used to stop,” Kerrigan told Irish Independent.
He added that a bus shelter installed on the road cannot be accessed properly because buses are unable to stop in front of it, calling it a unique design flaw.
Future Plans for 2027 Tours
“I informed a coach driver friend in Sligo of my problems and I certainly will be taking Sligo off my stop off list for 2027 as it would be too risky to drive in and have no space for a visiting tour coach,” Kerrigan told Irish Independent.
| Route / Vehicle Type | Operational Impact | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Visiting Tour Coaches (14.3m) | Unable to drop off passengers due to restricted space | Markievicz Road |
| Bus Éireann Route 458 | Forced to park further along the roadway | Markievicz Road |
| Local Link Coach | Displaced from traditional stopping area | Markievicz Road |
“Everything was going so well for the coach industry visiting Sligo, plenty of space to drop off and an excellent coach park and now they have ruined it,” Kerrigan told Irish Independent.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
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