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Tag Archives: National Transport Authority

Dedicated Ennis bus service could be operational by next year

A dedicated bus service for the town of Ennis could be operational by late next year or early 2024. That’s according to Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe who raised the issue with Ann Graham, chief executive of the NTA this week at the Oireachtas Transport Committee meeting A service for the town has long been spoken about and work is underway between the NTA and Clare County Council on finalising a route. “I’m delighted to be told by the NTA that a dedicated bus service for Ennis town is just around the corner,” said Deputy Crowe. “I raised this vital service with Ann Graham, chief executive of the NTA, in last evening’s Oireachtas Transport Committee meeting to get the latest update and was assured that the bus service will be up and running as soon as possible. “The hope is that an operator will be procured and it’ll be tendered by the end of next year, with early …

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Hopes that submission to NTA will pave way for pedestrian safety

CONCERN among residents of Doora about pedestrian safety in the village has led to calls for a new footpath to be built between two key local amenities. The Ennis Municipal District has confirmed that an application is to be submitted to the National Transport Authority for the development of a footpath from Doora Church to Doora School. Councillor Paul Murphy raised the issue at a recent meeting of the local authority, urging that Clare County Council to seek Active Travel funding for the project. He outlined that Doora has a big population including many school-going children, insisting, “It’s important that road safety for pedestrians is prioritised”. Ian Chaplin, acting senior executive engineer responded, “The Ennis Municipal District will seek to have an application submitted to the NTA for footpath project from Doora Church to Doora School when the next funding cycle is announced for the NTA for 2023. It would also be essential that the proposal is in line with …

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NTA set to conduct route inspection for Ennis bus service

PLANS for the delivery of a “much needed” local bus service for Ennis town and its environs are driving forward with confirmation the National Transport Authority have “advanced” their design and are due to undertake a route inspection this month. However, former mayor of Ennis Councillor Johnny Flynn, who has been a long time campaigner for the service has criticised the “snail’s pace” of the project and is calling on the county’s Oireachtas members to attend the next meeting of the Ennis Municipal District and push for the service’s delivery. Details of the progress of providing a local bus were outlined at a recent meeting of the Ennis Municipal District where the service’s importance was emphasised by local councillors. Seeking an update on the service, Councillor Paul Murphy insisted that a local bus service is “vital” for the town of Ennis. “I am requesting a progress update on provision of a much needed local bus service for Ennis Town and …

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Expressway late Galway-Limerick service to be reinstated confirm Bus Éireann

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 …

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Crusheen plan goes back to drawing board

CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a new bus shelter in Crusheen for south-bound passengers have been scrapped, after considerable local opposition. The village was earmarked for two new shelters after an assessment by the National Transport Authority (NTA). While the existing north-bound bus stop will be upgraded, plans for a new shelter, which would have necessitated moving back the boundary wall of a local housing estate by two metres, will not now proceed. The council’s decision to seek a new site has been met with relief from Deputy Michael McNamara, among others. “Bus shelters are badly needed but the location must be right,” he said. “I welcome the decision not to put the south-bound shelter in at the location originally proposed. For residents in Brodagh View, it would have inevitably resulted in people parking in that estate. That’s not what it was designed for. “When the estate was built, a development contribution was paid to Clare County Council. The council was …

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Clare Bus Hope Covid Restrictions Won’t Impact on Tender Plans

LIMITS on the number of passengers who can safely use public transport could have implications for the ability of Clare Bus to tender for nine local transport routes. Earlier this month, the National Transport Authority (NTA) sought Expressions of Interest for the routes, which had been operated by Clare Bus until the end of March. Due to a funding dispute, the Feakle-based accessible transport service lost a total of 12 routes and is hopeful of being able to tender again for nine of them. The chairperson of Clare Accessible Transport (CAT), which trades as Clare Bus, told The Champion the board would have to examine the tender documents in detail before making an application. “We have expressed our interest and the next step is that the NTA will issue nine individual tender calls,” he said. “We expect to receive those this week, but until we look at them, we don’t know exactly what will be required. Once the management team …

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Tendering time frame outlined for nine Clare local transport routes

THE National Transport Authority (NTA) has confirmed that Clare Bus will be eligible to tender for nine local transport routes, while the two parties enter into a mediation process to resolve a dispute over funding. The accessible transport provider has had its fleet parked up since the end of March, which it controversially lost 12 routes to two new providers. Since then, its Feakle-based staff have been paid through the Wage Subsidy Scheme and intensive political efforts to resolve a row over arrears the company says it is owed continue. The NTA has now sought expressions of interest for nine Clare routes and has told The Champion that it estimates that the process of appointing a service provider will be complete by mid-August. Ger Hoey, Chairperson of Clare Accessible Transport (CAT) who operate Clare Bus said he is hopeful that a speedy mediation process will increase its chances of being able to make a competitive tender. “We would prefer to …

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Mediator appointed in dispute between Clare Bus and NTA

THE National Transport Authority (NTA) has agreed to enter talks with Clare Bus in relation to payments the company believes it is owned for providing vital services in rural parts of the county. In correspondence to Deputy Joe Carey, NTA CEO Anne Graham confirmed that the authority has agreed to “enter into a mediation on the amount allegedly outstanding to Clare Bus”. The potential breakthrough in the long-running dispute comes as the NTA also confirmed that nine key local routes are being put out to tender in the coming days. The Fine Gael TD welcomed the positive development and urged Clare Bus to enter the tender process. “Hopefully this will be the beginning of a process that can finally see a resolution to this dispute and I hope the NTA and Clare Bus use the opportunity so this vital service is not lost to the communities it serves,” he said. The row over the payments has become one of the major roadblocks …

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