Calls for Kildare bus shelters to promote council services

Kildare County Council should install bus shelter posters with QR codes to promote online council services.

That’s according to local Social Democrats Councillor Peter Melrose, who proposed the motion at a recent council meeting of the Clane-Maynooth Municipal District.

The initiative seeks to connect more residents with the council’s growing suite of online services. “Bus shelters are highly visible opportunities to promote what people can access online,” said Cllr Melrose.

“We now have a fully operational online customer services portal, a local roadworks alerts service, and an online planning enquiry system, but how many people know about them, and how many people use them?”

“Yes, we can use social media, traditional media, online videos, apps to promote what can be done online…but these themselves need to be promoted, and QR codes on bus shelter posters could do that.

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“The vast majority of people have access to a phone camera in 2025, and QR codes are now fully integrated into mobile technology. Let’s use that opportunity to highlight what can be done from the comfort of your home or device.

Cllr Melrose concluded: “I would rather see money spent on the promotion of public services than to see another ad space taken up by a fast-food restaurant promoting unhealthy food or an alcohol company circumventing alcohol advertising laws with ads for zero-alcohol products.”

Cllr Melrose’s motion sparked a conversation about how best to engage with the local community, and the council has already begun examining the feasibility of cost-effective and impactful ways to raise awareness.