Proposals to reinstate West Cavan bus services have been widely and warmly welcomed by local residents and local officials who campaigned for the a reversal to Bus Éireann route cuts to the area.

Earlier this month the public transport bus company announced from October 14, Bus Éireann will not longer serve the areas of Ballyconnell, Bawnboy and Swanlinbar as part of their primary Dublin to Donegal route.

A statement to The Anglo-Celt at the time said, "Our Expressway services are commercial services that receive no State funding and, as such, must be commercially viable. The numbers using the service do not justify its retention as a commercial service."

However, following two weeks of intense pressure from locally elected represntatives and bus users, both angered and upset at the cuts, Bus Éireann announced on Friday that its their intention to extend its existing State funded Monaghan-Cavan 175 route to provide six services a day (Monday to Friday) and three services a day (Saturday-Sunday) in each direction from Swanlinbar, Bawnboy and Ballyconnell to Cavan and Monaghan. The extension of the service however is subject to approval from the National Transport Authority.

Local Sinn Fein Councillor, Damien Brady said he was delighted to hear of the apparent turnaround, saying that it was "foolish" and "lacked sense" to pull this route in the first place.

"A regular bus service to the western part of this county is vital," said Cllr Brady. "Without it the people here are cut off. Those who used it depended on it to attend hospital appointments in Cavan and Dublin or students at the weekend, to come home or go to college."

Given the Route 30 service ceased to run from last Sunday, he urged Bus Éireann to expedite the expansion of the state funded Monaghan-Cavan 175 service through the current licensing phase and put into action as soon as possible.