Cork buses collide with poles,bollards, branches ... and a stone!

There were 78 bus collisions in Cork city in just three months last year, as buses collided with vehicles, trees, poles, bollards, branches, fences, and hedges.

New data shows that, between July and October, 80 buses were damaged in Cork, with almost all of the damage being caused as a result of collisions.

The data shows that, out of 78 total collisions:

• 55 were between a bus and another vehicle, with a car being the most common;
• There were 40 incidents involving a bus and a car;
• A bus collided with another bus in eight instances, a van in three, a taxi in one, and a truck in another.
• There was also an incident where a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) collided with a bus, and one where a van collided with a bus.

In 23 incidents, buses collided with stationary objects.

Buses collided with a tree on four occasions and a pole on a further four.

The next most common items for buses to collide with were bollards and branches, with three of each such incidents, followed by two each of collisions into fences, hedges, and an “object”, as it is listed by the National Transport Authority (NTA) in the documentation provided.

Three buses were also damaged after one collided with a stone, one with a ditch, and one with a bus shelter.

Two instances of damage to buses during the three-month period were listed as “incidents” rather than collisions, with one incident being a passenger falling on board a bus and the other being a sudden break.

The 208 (Ashmount to Curraheen via Patrick Street) and 220 (Ovens to Fort Camden via Carrigaline) buses saw the most incidents causing damage, with 14 on each route.

This was followed by nine incidents on the 203 (Manor Farm to Parklands via Patrick St) and six each on the 223 (South Mall to Haulbowline via Monkstown) and 226 (Kinsale to Kent Station via Cork Airport).

INCIDENTS

There were five incidents each on the 202 (Hollyhill to Mahon Point via Merchant’s Quay), 215 (Mahon Point to Cloghroe via Blarney), and 216 (CUH to Monkstown via Grand Parade).

There were three incidents each on the 205 (MTU to Kent Station via College Rd), 212 (Kent Station to Mahon Point via Blackrock Rd), and 213 (Black Ash to Patrick Street).

There were two each on both the 207 (Donnybrook to Glenheights via Patrick Street) and 209 (Lotamore to Patrick Street via Audley Place), while the 206 (Grange to South Mall via Douglas), 214 (CUH to Glyntown via Patrick Street), and 225 (Kent Station to Haulbowline via Cork Airport) bus routes all saw one damage-causing incident each.

The data was provided to The Echo by the NTA on foot of a Freedom of Information request and it is the first time such data was published.

WORRYING

Cork Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould told The Echo: “This is an extremely worrying number of collisions, and highlights the pressure drivers are under.

“It is a miracle nobody was badly hurt in any of these incidents.”

A spokesperson for Bus Éireann told The Echo: “The safety of our passengers, staff and the public is of paramount importance.

“Our fleet is maintained to the highest standards by our staff of qualified craftworkers.

“All vehicles are subject to mandatory regular inspections/maintenance and are fully compliant with all regulatory requirements.”