Go-Ahead Ireland is to begin operations of the 120 Edenderry to Dublin bus route from December 1st 2019.
The operator has also confirmed to Councillor Aidan Farrelly today that the first eight journeys of the day will be served by double-decker buses travelling to Dublin, with the aim of ensuring capacity for the in-demand service.
A further eight double-decker buses will operate from Dublin in the late-afternoon on weekdays.
Cllr Farrelly, who welcomed the news, stated that the people of North Kildare and Offaly had been consistently let down by this service in recent times, and hopes that assurances from the new operator will be fulfilled. He said:
“Reports from many passengers noticed that the double-decker buses that Bus Éireann used to operate on this route were discontinued, quite often leading to buses being full and leaving many people behind.
“The knock-on effects of this in terms of people being late for work or school, missing hospital appointments etc. were more than significant. We can’t ask people to leave their cars at home, and then not provide the transport services to replace them.
“We know that Kildare has the sixth highest rate of outbound commuters in Ireland. We rely heavily on the nation’s public transport infrastructure – a network that is bursting at the seams whether it’s our buses or trains.
“I would prefer to see the restoration of a fully publicly operated service for this important route. But at least this development means that North Kildare commuters have a service to call upon.
“It is really important that the new operator delivers a punctual quality service that people can rely upon. We shouldn’t forget that we pay a lot of money for our bus and train tickets, so it’s reasonable to expect a timely and consistent service.”
ENDS
24th October 2019