Bray Sinn Féin launch petition to get the 185 Bus back into Fassaroe

Bray Sinn Féin have launched a petition as part of their campaign to get the 185 Dublin Bus back into the Fassaroe Estate. Dublin Bus withdrew the bus last October due to difficulties turning buses in the estate.

Speaking after launching the petition in the estate Cllr John Brady said "Nearly a year has passed since Dublin Bus withdrew the 185 Bus from the Fassaroe Estate. The route provided a critical link for people from the estate, particularly elderly people to the town centre. Over that period i have spoken to Dublin Bus and council officials many times about trying to get the service back into the estate. The purpose of the petition and the campaign is to try put pressure on the powers to be and to show them the level of public feeling on this issue and the desire of them to get the service back."

Cllr Rossa Murray said "Unfortunately the buses were withdrawn because it was claimed there was difficulties in turning the buses in the estate. There is ample space within Fassaroe to provide the required turning space for the buses. What we need is the willingness to actually do it. The service is sorely missed and the fear is the longer the service is gone the more difficult it will be to get it back in."

Sinn Féin representative Oliver O'Brien went onto say "We have launched the petition which can be either signed on line at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/restore-the-185-route-to-fassaroe/, or alternatively we will be going door to door and people can sign the paper copy. We are encouraging people to take copies of it also and get their friends and family to sign it, copies can be got from any SinnFéin representative"

Cllr Brady concluded "What we need is the council and Dublin Bus to work with the community of Fassaroe to put in place the conditions to allow the 185 back into the estate. I have provided a number of options to the council and i think these provide the way forward. I don't think opening up cul de sacs from Palermo into Fassaroe is the solution and it will meet huge resistance from all effected residents and rightfully so. We aim on collecting as many signatures as possible before presenting them to the council in November."

Sinn Fein Councillors raise concerns after Dublin Bus withdraws Route 185 from Fassaroe

Bray Sinn Féin Councillors John Brady and Rossa Murray have raised
concerns about the future of the 185 Dublin Bus route which had
severed the Fassaroe area. On Friday last signs were erected on the
bus stops in the Fassaroe estate saying that  the 185 bus was
ceasing to serve Fassaroe with immediate effect. In 2010 Sinn Féin and
the community in the area managed to save the entire 185 route after
Dublin Bus planned on curtailing it completely from Palermo and
Fassaroe.

Speaking after meeting with concerned bus users in Fassaroe Councillor
John Brady said "The first anyone knew of Dublin Buses plan to
withdraw the 185 from Fassaroe was on Friday last when signs were
erected on all the bus stops in the estate. The signs state that the
service was ceasing with immediate effect and that Dublin Bus would be
working with all the relevant authorities to try get it resumed at
some point in the future. The community of Fassaroe is highly
dependent on this bus route and i hope that this is not an attempt to
try introduce the 2010 plans to totally cut the 185, only this time
through stealth"

Cllr Murray went onto say "This is a widely used and highly depended
on route. Sinn Féin and the local community fought hard in 2010 to
ensure the 185 continued to serve Palermo and Fassaroe, we collected
thousands of signatures and ran a strong campaign which ultimately led
Dublin Bus to reverse their plans and to maintain the service and we
can do the same again if needed. The sign on the bus stops states that
Dublin Bus will be working with all relevant authorities to try
reinstate the route, unfortunately they don't see the using public as
relevant when they make decisions like this to withdraw a service"

Cllr Brady concluded "We will do everything in our power to make sure
the 185 is reinstated, so it can continue serving the community of Fassaroe.
Dublin Bus have a policy of what they term 'straightening out routes'
On the ground this means leaving communities like Fassaroe unserved by
public transport. Whatever needs to be done will be done to get the
185 back in Fassaroe"