Local representatives in West Waterford have voiced strong criticism of a decision by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to remove a busy bus stop along the N25 at Grange, citing safety concerns.

The move, which also affects a nearby stop at Piltown, has left many residents in the Ardmore and Grange areas without a convenient public transport option. TII said the stops were considered unsafe due to their location on a 100km/h section of the national route, where passengers were being collected at the roadside without pedestrian facilities.

Speaking at the October Dungarvan and Lismore District meeting of Waterford City & County Council, Fianna Fáil Councillor Tom Cronin said the decision was deeply disappointing and Fine Gael Councillor Damien Geoghegan warned that lessons should be learned from past incidents.

“It’s very disappointing that the bus will no longer stop in those two areas,” said Cllr. Cronin. “A lot of people were using this stop — both Bus Éireann and the Greenline service.

“We had similar issues at Carroll’s Cross in the Comeragh District, where TII initially refused to act. Tragically, there was a fatal accident there before works were finally carried out. We shouldn’t have to wait for the same thing to happen in Grange before improvements are made,” added Cllr. Geoghegan.

Cllr. Geoghegan noted the junction at Grange is “extremely dangerous” and that TII should be “stepping up to the plate” by funding safety improvements rather than removing services.

“Traffic calming through Grange would alleviate the problem,” he said, supporting calls by Cllr. Cronin and others for urgent intervention.

Senior Engineer for Roads with Waterford City and County Council, Gabriel Hynes, explained that the decision followed a national review by TII of bus stops along high-speed routes.

“The review concluded that bus stops located on roads with a 100km/h limit posed significant risks — with pedestrians crossing or walking along the carriageway, a lack of public lighting, and vehicles stopping on the roadside,” he said.

Mr. Hynes said the Council, acting on TII’s report, wrote to Bus Éireann instructing them to cease roadside pickups at Grange and Piltown from the end of the month.

He noted that while roadside pickups are no longer permitted, Bus Éireann could still collect passengers at nearby off-road locations.

“We haven’t stopped them picking up in Grange or Piltown,” he said. “We’ve only asked them to stop doing so on the national primary road. They could, for example, pull into a nearby car park or side road if they wish.”

However, he acknowledged that long-term solutions such as traffic calming and engineering works would require additional funding from TII, which has not yet been allocated.

“There’s been a funding issue with TII this year, and my understanding is it won’t be addressed next year either,” he said. “Our priority for 2026 will be the traffic calming scheme at Lemybrien, east of Dungarvan.”

It was concluded by both representatives and the Executive that the situation highlights the need for greater investment and safety upgrades along the N25 between Midleton and South Kilkenny, warning that removing key transport links without alternatives will further isolate rural communities.

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