Bus Éireann has called for more bus lanes as new figures show passenger numbers increased by more than 1 million in 2014.
Total road passenger journeys were 35.4 million, compared to 34.3 million the previous year. Numbers were up by nearly 7 per cent in 2014 compared to 2013 while Dublin commuter journeys increased 2 per cent.
Passenger numbers were up in most of the regional cities, growing by 12 per cent in Galway, 6 per cent in Cork and 4 per cent in Limerick. But they were down by 1 per cent in Waterford.
The company hopes to increase the size of its fleet and expects to acquire about 200 buses over the next two years.
It said the new fleet will help address capacity issues but road congestion remains a growing problem.
“Further growth is predicted next year in line with the improving economy, which augurs well for the standards of public transport that can be delivered, and the critical role it can play in helping the economy recover even faster,” said Bus Éireann chief executive Martin Nolan.
“However, we also need to continue to invest to provide extra fleet capacity - along with more bus priority measures, in particular on commuter corridors - to combat congestion.”
