Idling buses 'spewing poisonous fumes' and 'toxic oil' in Laois
Portlaoise is working to become Ireland's first Low Carbon Town, but idling buses are polluting it, a local councillor says.
Cllr Marie Tuohy said that certain bus drivers should "clean up their act".
Buses are being parked with the engines running, often with no driver on board, "spewing poisonous fumes and leaking toxic oil emissions" the Portlaoise Municipal District councillor said at the May meeting.
She said the problem is worst at the bus stop outside Laois Shopping Centre.
"It shows a disregard for the environment, their passengers and customers waiting at the bus stops, many of them are young children with their parents. I am talking about large buses often left idling and the driver often not there while the negine spews carbon dioxide into the air. Some of these buses are also leaking oil onto the road causing a slip hazard or a danger of traffic skildding, asided from polluting aspects," Cllr Tuohy said.
She tabled a motion to the May meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District, asking Laois County Council to "deploy the appropriate environmental measures to address the pollution and emissions being caused by some bus operators while idling and parked on bus stops in Portlaoise".
"We all know that pollution is bad, fresh air is better and basic common sense applied. It's disheartening to see an ongoing disregard for others almost on our doorstep here in county hall," Cllr Tuohy said.
Cllr John Joe Fennelly seconded her motion and said buses are idling for half an hour at times.
"Some people are looking for a proper bus depot in Portlaoise. I have a photo someone sent me of a bus at the shopping centre left running with liquid running from it whether its water or oil. It's not healthy, it's not right, it's unfair to Portlaoise Tidy Towns. It's bad practice. If they have to park, turn off," he said.
Cllr Willie Aird said he does not want a depot because the town is fortunate to have many bus stops, with more needed.
"They are not supposed to stop there, only stopping and dropping. It's up to the environment section of Laois County Council to get involved and get very active, plus the traffic warden," he said.
There is a danger that an unattended idling bus could get stolen, Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley warned.
"We've seen it when people left cars running to go to a shop. It's mad to leave a bus running and not be on the bus, it's dangerous," she said.
In response to the motion, Dom Reddin from the council's evironment section said that they will contact main bus operators to advise them to take measures to prevent or reduce environmental pollution.
"The operators will be asked to provide details of measures they have taken to reduct air pollution when the bus is idling at a drop-off/pick-up point; to prevent water pollution from oil/fuel release following a pipe burst or leakage.
"the council can only assist in increasing the bus operators awareness of their responsibilities to protect public health and the environment," Mr Reddin said.