Enough promises: Make bus plan work for Cork

For too long, Cork has talked about change in public transport without seeing enough of it.

BusConnects Cork is our chance to get it right - but only if it delivers, not just promises.

This can’t be another plan that sits on a shelf while people spend hours in traffic, or wondering if their bus will turn up.

The redesign of the network is a crucial first step - but it’s just that, a first step. Real confidence will only come when people see results: buses that arrive when they should, routes that make sense, and fares that make the choice to leave the car at home an easy one.

Cork’s opportunity - and challenge

BusConnects Cork is ambitious. Eleven sustainable transport corridors. Nearly 90 kilometres of bus-priority lanes. More than 95 kilometres of segregated cycle tracks.

If it’s delivered properly, it will mean more people able to reach the city centre within 30 minutes, cleaner air, and fewer cars clogging our streets.

But big plans don’t build trust - delivery does.

Cork people have been promised transport solutions before. This time, we need visible, tangible progress.

It’s about people, not paperwork

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the bus network redesign is the first real opportunity to rebuild confidence in public transport.

But maps and press releases won’t change minds - reliability will.

That means a system that runs on time, that’s affordable, and that’s easy to understand.

A €9 Climate Ticket for Cork would make public transport a genuine option for working families, students, and commuters.

And BusConnects isn’t just about buses - it’s about building a Cork that works for everyone on our streets.

We need safe, well-timed pedestrian crossings where people actually need them.

We need segregated bike lanes that protect cyclists and give families the confidence to let their kids cycle to school.

Accessibility isn’t an optional extra - it’s the foundation of a transport network that works for all.

Publish the plans. Show the progress.

The government has signed off on BusConnects Cork. The time for uncertainty is over. The final detailed plans must be published now so people can see what’s actually changing in their area.

Communities deserve clarity. They deserve to know which streets will see upgrades first, when new services will begin, and how long disruption will last.

Transparency is the first ingredient in building trust.

And that trust will only grow if we front-load the visible wins: better crossings, functioning park-and-ride hubs, high-frequency pilot routes, safe cycle tracks.

Every day of visible improvement strengthens confidence that Cork can deliver this.

We have to get this right

Each delay, each gap between promise and performance, risks losing the public before we’ve even begun.

If we get this right, we’ll change not only how Cork moves, but how Cork feels - more connected, more accessible, more confident in its future.

If we get it wrong, we risk reinforcing the idea that big plans never materialise, and that “consultation” is just another word for delay.

BusConnects Cork must work - not just in theory, not just on paper, but in the lived experience of the people who use it.

Because when we say it must deliver, we mean deliver for people - not for plans, not for press releases, but for Cork.