John McHugh is unimpressed with the current bus services in Enniskillen RMGFH62
PENSIONERS in Enniskillen are up in arms about changes to the town bus route, which has left many of them relying on taxis and family members to get them out and about.
The popular 397A Enniskillen Town Service route was recently changed and no longer takes in the steep Derrin Road and now doesn’t leave leaves passengers close to any of the town’s main supermarkets.
Beginning and ending at the main bus station, the previous route took in Down Street, Drumcor Hill, Derrin Road, Hillview Road, the South West Hospital, Drumbeg, and Erneside.
The new route still begins and ends at the depot, but now runs from Down Street, Palmer’s Shop in Colehill, Hillview Park, Drumbeg, the South West Hospital, and back around to Hillview Park, Drumbeg, Coles Hill and the bus station.
John McHugh, a resident of Hillview, said the new route had upset many older people. “Everyone’s talking about it, and I can tell the bus drivers aren’t happy with it either,” he said. “ I don’t know who decided to change it, or why they chose this route, but it’s extremely inconvenient for a lot of people.
“It’s mostly older people who use the bus, and these people are now having to walk some distance to get to where they want to go. The new route goes nowhere near the shops and supermarkets. The old route left people near Lidl, Dunnes, Asda and Erneside, but now the older people have to walk the whole way from the bus station and then back again with their shopping bags. Some are having to get taxis or lifts from family to get where they want.”
John added: “I don’t know who did this or why, it was probably some pen pusher somewhere. The new route goes to some places, like Hillview and Drumbeg, twice. Sometimes you get a bus in the same place twice within ten minutes. It’s so silly. It goes to these places twice, but yet people have to walk all the way up Derrin Road, which is a big hill.
“I think it might be an exercise to get rid of the route altogether because they’ll get less people using it this way. I don’t know what the idea is, but everyone’s chatting about it.”
Willie Henderson, who had a stroke two years ago and has trouble with his legs, lives at the top of Derrin Road. He said he now has to rely on his son or taxis to get him out and about.
“The bus used to go up to the top of the road, but only our son was off recently I’d have to get a taxi now,” said Willie.
“There’s a number of us at the top of the road, and we like our wee outing. I go out almost every day, to go to Mass and things. I like to get out a lot. It’s terrible now. There are a lot of men with bad chests and things who use the buses as well, and they have to walk long distances or up the hill now too.”
Both John and Willie said neither they or anyone they knew could recall being consulted or informed before the new bus route was introduced, however a spokesman for Translink said: “Following the extensive consultation with passengers earlier this year we have worked hard to protect the geographic coverage of the network.
“There are some frequency reductions, and route alterations to a number of services and some services have been retimed. Service changes were extensively highlighted in local press, through notices placed at the bus station and the Translink website.
“In addition, a passenger information event regarding the changes was held in Enniskillen Bus station on August 18th. The route of the 397A now accommodates passengers from the Hillview Park and Drumbeg areas wishing to travel to and from the South West Acute Hospital.”
To read more.. Subscribe to current edition
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere