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Banteer Notes
Banteer Railway Station Upgrade Works Officially Opened
Accessibility works have been completed at Banteer Railway Station as part of Iarnrod Eireann’s ongoing investment programme. This project was officially opened on July 18th.
Banteer is the latest new lift and passenger bridge on the network and follows the opening of Little Island earlier this year. Up to 11 more stations will see construction or planning progress for new lifts in 2024.
The company’s Disability Users Groups provides direct input from representative bodies and rail service users in developing accessibility programmes and projects.
Speaking at the opening of the bridge, Programme Manager for Iarnród Éireann, Colin Grimes said: “The opening of this bridge at Banteer demonstrates our commitment to making the railway more accessible to all. This new infrastructure will provide ease of access for generations to come for customers from Banteer. We are also honoured to be joined by members of our Disability Users Group here today as there input is essential to ensuring that the upgrade works that I and my team undertake provide the best possible solution for persons with reduced mobility” Representatives from Iarnród Éireann’s Disability Users Group, local elected representatives and members of the community attended the special event at Banteer Station to mark the completion of the works. Contractors, Jon’s Civil Engineering, working on behalf of Iarnród Éireann, completed the work in just under 12 months. The works included the provision of a new footbridge over the railway, featuring two 13-person lifts, remedial works to platform two and its complete resurfacing, and upgrades to the toilets.
Iarnrod Éireann said an “integral element” of the company’s ongoing investment programme is to continuously improve accessibility of its stations and services.
Planning And Housing Policy In Rural Areas –Have Your Say
Those living in rural areas and looking at building houses in rural areas are being encouraged to have their say in a newly-launched public consultation on the National Planning Framework (NPF) by the Department of Housing, Planning, and Heritage
The public consultation on the draft revision of the NPF opened for consultation last week and will remain open for public views until September 12th 2024.
According to the Government, the NPF is the overarching policy and planning framework for Ireland up to 2040.
The purpose of the revising the framework now, according to the Department of Housing, is to reflect changes in government policy since its original introduction in 2018.
These changes are in the areas of climate transition, regional development, demographics, digitalisation, and investment and prioritisation, the department said.
As part of the process, Public reps are calling for guidelines for rural housing to be revised and to be given statutory force.
Such guidelines should provide that local authorities grant planning permission for farm families who wish to live and work in their local community, and extended family members who have a link with their rural areas.
Poulgorm Water Outage
Another water outage occurred on Monday 22nd in Banteer and other areas with no water for a number of hours.
The Community Council are still waiting for a reply from Irish Water for an urgent meeting to discuss short term and long term options. This request was sent to Irish Water on 28th May last.
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