Launch of new garda bus puts Cork community in top gear

The Garda Cork North-East community engagement team has launched a 13-seat bus that will serve voluntary groups and local concerns within the area.

Speaking to The Echo at the launch of the bus in Midleton earlier this week, Superintendent Adrian Gamble said the bus would be available to community groups within the Cork North-East community engagement functional area.

“The stations in that area are: Midleton, Cobh, Youghal, Killeagh, Ballycotton, Whitegate, Carrigtwohill, Cloyne, Mitchelstown, Fermoy, Castletownroche, Kildorrerey, Rathcormac, Watergrasshill, Ballynoe, and Kilworth,” he said.

“The bus is available to help community groups in those areas, whether they be on day trips, particularly during the summer months, or anything that those groups might require, and it can be booked through the local community garda.

“It’s our way of contributing toward local groups by taking the transport issue out of it — we provide the bus and we provide a garda driver as well.”

Garda livery

Supt Gamble said those groups would typically include the ICA, Men’s Sheds, Down Syndrome Ireland, East Cork Travellers’ groups, Foróige, special schools, and age-friendly groups, as well as primary and secondary schools, particularly transition year students.

“The bus is kitted out in Garda livery, but that’s purely to show that it is a community engagement vehicle,” he said.

Previously, community gardaí in the extended 16-station area had to borrow vehicles from the city, Supt Gamble said, but thanks to Cork City Ford Centre, and funded by a local collaboration working with the Garda fleet, the area now has its own bus.

Midleton Community Garda Eddie Crockett said the initiative has been a very positive development in local policing.

“For the community garda, 90% of the time the service we’re providing is about the social interaction with the groups that are interacting with us,” said Gda Crockett.

“I’ve been organising the bus for a few years, and it has been a 100% positive experience for us with the groups we engage with.”