Why the five hour journey from Kildare to a Dublin address is an obstacle to using a bus or train

The five hour round trip it takes to get to and from a Dublin address is a disincentive to using public transport.

The comment was made by Ballymore councillor Evie Sammon at a Naas Municipal District, where politicians were briefed on efforts to promote active travel (walking and cycling) to encourage people to use public transport.

Cllr Sammon said using public transport meant a five hour round trip to Dún Laoghaire and she said people might opt to find another way to get there for a “one hour meeting.”

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Cllr Carmel Kelly said: “We don’t have a joined up public transport system.”

She also criticised the time it can take to set up an active travel scheme in Kildare adding “you’re talking three years or more.”

Kildare County Council engineer Dónal Hodgins pointed out that the money is provided by the National Transport Authority.

He said if more money was made available then more projects would be planned.

He also said that KCC is obliged  to liaise with organisations like Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Uisce Eireaan as some of these projects proceed and this takes time.

Locally, he said more bus stops are planned for the Blessington Road area of Naas given the lack of these and the proliferation of housing in that area.

The mention heard that almost €3m is to be spent on active travel projects this year, including €1.3m at Craddockstown Road, Naas; €100,000 on a route between Naas’s canal harbour and Sallins and €750.000 on staff costs.