Oireachtas Committee propose Bus Eireann explain route cuts

The Chairman of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications Tom Hayes TD has sent a letter to Martin Nolan, Chief Executive of Bus Éireann, proposing that they suspend their proposed plans for bus routes until they come before the Committee to explain their reasoning. Deputy Hayes says: "There are serious implications for rural towns and villages along the affected Bus Éireann routes, where many rural bus stops are due to be discontinued from this Sunday 7 October. "There was unanimous agreement at our meeting yesterday to write to the Bus Éireann CEO calling on the company desist from implementing any proposed changes to timetables or routes, scheduled to take effect from this Sunday." In Cavan there has been widespread shock and anger as well as genuine fear and disbelief among young and old across West Cavan at news that 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. In recent years, the national public bus service provider had been serving the route through contracts with local bus transport providers, Leyden's of Swanlinbar and McGeehan's in Donegal. However, as of two-weeks time, that service is to be eliminated with local bus customers told the route via those towns are not "commercially viable" due to low customer traffic using these stops. Bus Éireann senior management are now scheduled to meet the Committee on 17 October, three days after the ending of service in the west Cavan area and it is expected that at this meeting that Committee Members of all shades of political opinion will be provided with an opportunity to engage with the company on the implications of the proposed changes.