A town bus for Letterkenny could finally be on the way after news that the National Transport Authority is proposing funding for the service as part of Budget 2027.
The route was put forward by the NTA at this morning’s Oireachtas Joint Committee on transport
Fine Gael Cllr Jimmy Kavanagh welcomed the development and said the Transport Minister must now provide the necessary funding to ensure the service becomes a reality.
Together with his party colleague, Senator Manus Boyle, Cllr Kavanagh has been among those campaigning for the return of a local bus service in the town.
Letterkenny’s previous privately-run town bus service, which was under licence issued by the NTA, ceased earlier this year.
Cllr Kavanagh said a town bus would provide an important alternative to car travel, while helping to reduce congestion and improve connectivity for commuters, families, businesses and visitors.
“This of course would also be vital for elderly and disabled people who were frequent users of the previous private discontinued bus service,” he said.
Cllr Kavanagh advised that the service would not be operational immediately, with significant work still required before any buses hit the road.
You may also be interested in
“This is obviously the main first step,” Cllr Kavanagh said. “There will be a lot of work to do in terms of installing bus stops and signage and reviewing the routes.”
He said the town bus could potentially be introduced before other major traffic relief projects in the town.
“I certainly think this is something that could be put in place ahead of the Bonagee link and the relief roads,” he said.
“They are, at best, two, three years away.”
He said the proposed town bus would not solve all of Letterkenny’s traffic problems on its own, but would make a meaningful contribution.
“With traffic congestion continuing to impact commuters, families, businesses and visitors, a local bus service would provide an important alternative to car travel and help make getting around our town easier,” he said.
“This is a significant step in the right direction, and I will continue working to ensure that Letterkenny gets the public transport investment it deserves.”
The announcement comes just days after €9 million was announced for a new Letterkenny Transport Hub. Together, the proposed hub and town bus service represent a significant potential boost for public transport in the town.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme