Provide more buses for new Downe — calls

Provide more buses for new Downe — calls

11 July 2012

HEALTH campaigners have again called for the creation of a good public transport system to the new Downe Hospital.

The Down Community Health Committee (DCHC) wants a regular shuttle bus service established between Downpatrick town centre and the new hospital to save patients a 30-minute walk or a £7 return taxi fare.

At present the only public transport link with the hospital is the Translink Flying Horse service which goes past the hospital six times a day.

Campaigners believe there is now a much greater need for the service after the GPs and other health practitioners moved from the clinic at Pound Lane to the new hospital.

They also argue the imminent opening of Down Council’s new headquarters and other planned developments at the Downshire estate makes the need for a regular bus service all the more imperative.

Dick Shannon, an Ardglass-based member of the DCHC, has met with local councillor Cadogan Enright, in a bid to advance the campaign.

“Cadogan and I have met with Translink to see what can be done,” said Mr. Shannon. “As far back as 2006 Translink wrote to the Health Trust stating that a shuttle bus was essential between the new public sector campus on the Downshire site and the bus station.

“A taxi to and from the bus station costs £7 return and is not affordable to many people without cars, many of whom, like me, have a bus pass.

“The design of the public sector campus, hospital and their car-parks the site is not friendly to public transport, despite the best efforts of Translink management to influence it. Normal sized buses can’t get access, and there are other impediments to buses.

Listening to Translink’s ideas would let the Ardglass bus and other local buses service the site,” he added.

Councillor Enright said a previous DCHC campaign succeeded in getting the Flying Horse minibus to take in the hospital last year six times a day.

“But this level of public transport is totally inadequate and not consistent with NHS guidelines for either staff or patients. Additionally, hundreds of public sector workers are moving to the Downshire site from September onwards including the Councils own staff,” said Mr. Enright.

“I have co-hosted meetings between Translink and Health Trust management with councillor Dermot Curran and it is clear options are available to solve this problem.

“Councillor Curran has pointed out that other hospitals have had shuttle-buses funded by their Health Trusts until critical mass is achieved and they are taken over by Translink.”

A spokeswoman for the Trust said Translink was consulted about vehicle layout when the hospital was being designed to ensure shuttle bus services could be accommodated.

“Translink confirmed at the time of the hospital opening in Spring 2009 that both the Ulsterbus service and the Ulsterbus town service would pick up/ off passengers using the new lay-by located on the Ardglass Road,” she said.

“With the recent transfer of the GP and Community services from Pound Lane

to the Downe Hospital,

additional outpatients activity and the scheduled opening of the Council offices

on the Downshire site, this is now an excellent opportunity to explore the augmentation of the existing bus service and the Trust is working with Down District Council, and Translink to explore the feasibility of increasing this service to run every 15 minutes.”