East Coast FM Interview

Today, I was invited to speak on the Declan Meehan Show on East Coast FM to share my views on the proposed closure of the Herbert Road junction—a topic that’s a real concern in our community.

Let me be clear: I support the need for a proper bus scheme. We need to make public transport more attractive, more accessible, and more reliable for everyone.

But I categorically disagree with closing the Herbert Road junction.

We’ve been shown how upgrades to Junction 7 will improve traffic flow—something I welcome. But we’ve been shown no data on how the closure of the Herbert Road junction will impact the flow of traffic in the area. With so much concern already raised by residents, its complete absence from the traffic analysis is disappointing and not reassuring.

I struggle to believe that closing this junction won’t cause serious congestion, especially on Kilbride Lane and Main Street. I fear we’re simply shifting the problem, not solving it.

I believe this process has been a missed opportunity. We often hear about limited engagement in public consultations. But when the Council finally receives overwhelming feedback, a preferred scheme is presented that appears to ignore public input entirely—further disenfranchising our community. That’s not how consultation should work.

There’s still time to get this right. Let’s improve public transport in a way that actually works—for everyone.