Bus routes in the southeast are to be reconfigured to fill the gap caused by dropping the Expressway Route 5 service from Waterford to Dublin.
Expressway services on Route 5 called at Waterford, New Ross, Enniscorthy, Tullow and through west Wicklow to Dublin. A number of services on the route called at Gorey instead of Tullow before continuing on the N11 corridor through east Wicklow to Dublin.
In future Expressway Route 4 will help fill in the gaps with an amended route taking in the towns of Dungarvan, Waterford, New Ross, Carlow and Dublin.
In addition, non-Expressway, Bus Éireann services on route 132 between Rosslare, west Wicklow and Dublin are to be amended to take in Tullow Co Carlow and and Bunclody County Wexford en route to Dublin
Review welcomed
The National Transport Authority is to also procure new rural transport services to connect the towns of Clonroche, Bunclody and Tullow to Enniscorthy and New Ross for onward connections to Dublin, Wexford and Waterford.
The alterations were recommended by a review carried out by the National Transport Authority, following the announcement of the withdrawal of Expressway’s Route 5. The review was published on the authority’s website nationaltransporta.ie on Thursday.
Anne Graham, chief executive of the authority, said the aim of the reconfiguration was to ensure that no town which previously had a bus service was left without one.
The review was welcomed by Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe and Minister of State Ann Phelan .
Mr Donohoe said the alterations responded to the impact of the withdrawal of number five, reflecting “the commitment to maintaining access within rural communities”.
Ms Phelan said she looked forward to the outcome of the authority’s deliberations on the proposed withdrawal of Expressway’s Route 7 Cork to Dublin service.
