The rollout of Waterford’s new BusConnects network will depend on funding and the availability of drivers, mechanics and vehicles, the National Transport Authority has confirmed.

The NTA confirmed in a statement to WLR it is currently progressing work on bus stops and related infrastructure across Waterford City ahead of the first new services being introduced in 2028.

However, the authority has indicated that the new network will not be introduced in its entirety at once, with additional services instead being rolled out in stages as funding and resources permit.

It follows confirmation last week that BusConnects, which had previously been expected in Waterford in 2026, is now not due to begin until the first quarter of 2028.

The development came just weeks after Waterford City and County Council said there had been no decision to postpone the project until 2028.

BusConnects is expected to substantially increase the level of public transport available in Waterford. Plans include revised routes, more frequent buses and extended operating hours, with the overall level of services across the city’s subsidised bus network expected to roughly double.

Waterford is one of five Irish cities included in the national BusConnects programme alongside Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway.