Tag Archives: bus eireann

WELCOMING the return to full capacity on all public transport, Bus Éireann has moved to remind passengers that certain health measures remain in force. These include mandatory face masks throughout the journey (with exemptions on health grounds). Hand sanitising units will be on board all buses and the company has committed to deep cleaning overnight and additional cleaning during the day. Cashless payment options including Leap cards, ticket machines in stations and online at buseireann.ie will be available for customers. Guaranteed seat reservation is possible for interurban travel on expressway.ie and windows will be kept open where available, though coaches have air conditioning. Allen Parker, Chief Customer Officer, Bus Éireann said, “We are grateful to our Clare based employees and customers for all their support over the past 18 months. We have been proud to operate continuously throughout the pandemic, keeping Ireland connected. “The very high rate of vaccination in Ireland and the proven effectiveness of face masks in reducing …

BUS Éireann has confirmed that from this Friday, June 25 the last daily departure from Galway to Limerick on Expressway Route 51 will be at 7.05pm.  This service had been temporarily suspended from May 15. “As demand increases with the reopening of society, and with greater opportunities to work and socialise, we know this late service from Galway is important particularly to people in south Galway and Clare. We have worked with the National Transport Authority and are glad to reinstate this trip as the safe reopening of society continues,” said Brian Connolly, Western Region Operations Manager, Bus Éireann.  “It was always the case that these necessary temporary suspensions would be reviewed subject to demand.”  Currently and as a result of the severe impact of Covid-19 on passenger numbers, Bus Éireann operates Expressway routes under contract to the National Transport Authority.  Route 51 operates from Galway to Limerick and on to Cork.  There are 23 trips a day between Galway …

RESTRICTIONS on access to school bus transport in North Clare are causing hardship and inconvenience for many parents and students in the Corofin area, a recent meeting of local councillors was told. Councillor Joe Killeen, a former primary school principal and ex-president of the INTO, called on the West Clare Municipal District committee to contact the government on the matter and to ask them to redefine the catchment area for the secondary schools in Ennistymon. “Such a move”, he said, “would make pupils from Corofin eligible for school transport on a phased basis.” The Fianna Fáil member noted that, currently, the Department of Education provides subsidised school transport for post-primary pupils who live more than 4.8 kilometres away from the appropriate school. Because schools in Ennis are closer to those living in Corofin, students currently only have ‘concessionary’ status on school busses to Ennistymon. “We have had a huge increase in the primary school population,” Councillor Killeen noted. “Now, as …

BUS Éireann have announced “significant enhancement” to Clare services and timetables. Funded by the National Transport Authority through the Government’s July Stimulus, it includes a new Sunday service of two round trips between Scariff/Limerick on Route 345 as well as enhancements linking Kilkee directly to Doonbeg and Lahinch by public transport for the first time on Route 336. Route 345 will see an enhanced weekday timetable with three daily round trips, Saturday timetable with three daily round trips up from one and a Sunday service with two round trips from Scariff/Limerick On Route 333 there will be enhanced weekday timetable with four daily round trips, Saturday timetable with four daily round trips a new Sunday timetable with three daily round trips and improved evening frequency. While all services will provide connections at Ennis Bus/Rail Station and wider public transport network Route 336 benefits include an enhanced weekday timetable with six daily round trips, Saturday timetable with six daily round trips, …

AN appeal to support homeless people in Clare and other parts of the Mid West has had a “phenomenal” response according to organisers. Mid West Simon joined forces with Bus Éireann recently with a ‘Fill a Bus’ appeal, seeking contributions for the vulnerable, homeless and those at risk of homelessness in Clare, Limerick and North Tipperary this Christmas. More than 1,000 items were donated to fill bus parked up in Limerick last Thursday. The ‘Fill a Bus Food Appeal’ has been a “fantastic success” according to Jackie Bonfield, CEO of Mid West Simon. “The response from the people of Limerick has been phenomenal and the bus was filled to the brim with basic food staples, Christmas treats, toiletries and household goods. I would like to sincerely thank all those who contributed and especially to Bus Éireann staff for organizing this wonderful initiative and for helping out on the day. Please know that many adults and children have benefited from the …

A LISSYCASEY father whose child was recently adversely impacted by the concessionary selection system for public school transport has devised a new petition to spearhead radical reform. Up to 15 pupils from Lissycasey and surrounding areas had their places on a bus to St John Bosco Community College withdrawn at the start of the school year because of antiquated boundary rules, which deemed them ineligible and put them on the concessionary list. West Clare pupils will get their place on a bus after a new contractor was appointed last week with a larger vehicle. Ciaran O’Flaherty is gravely concerned about the Bus Eireann school transport policy currently in place, in relation to “eligible” and “concessionary” categorisation, as the sole means to complete selection. Mr O’Flaherty believes the current policy is unfair, unethical, unreasonable and divisive, creating real divide in rural communities and resulted in the recent West Clare “Bus Fiasco”. Requesting Bus Eireann to abolish the two-tier system, he is …

BUS Eireann has been accused of selecting a “dangerous junction” for a new collection point on the Loop Head Peninsula that leaves two local secondary school students without a home collection. Philippa Doherty has claimed there is no safe place to park her car at Crotty’s Cross as she waits for her son to be dropped off from a school bus coming from Kilkee Community College. Crotty’s Cross is a small crossroads and the last junction before Loophead lighthouse on the Wild Atlantic Way, which attracts heavy tourist traffic. “There is nowhere to pull in safely, one way is blind so you cannot see oncoming traffic and the bus should not be turning at this junction for safety reasons. The safest way for the bus is to continue down the L2000 from Crotty’s Cross down Fodera and back to Kilbaha village so the bus would not have to turn around at any point,” she explained. She is being supported by …

THERE has been a breakthrough in the dispute between angry West Clare parents and Bus Eireann over the withdrawal of concessionary places for bus transport to a secondary school in Kildysart. Up to 15 pupils from Lissycasey and surrounding areas had their places on a bus to St John Bosco Community College withdrawn because of antiquated boundary rules, which deemed them ineligible and put them on the concessionary list. West Clare pupils can now return to the bus after a new contractor was appointed with a larger vehicle. This comes in the wake of an intensive lobbying campaign by frustrated and parents and public representatives including Deputy Cathal Crowe and Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne, Deputy Crowe said the larger vehicle enables the route to be fully compliant from a socially distant point of view and also meant the increased capacity is now there for those additional 15 pupils, with their parents getting notified on Thursday. “I’ve spoken with some of the …