Connecting Ireland plan to provide bus services in rural Waterford

Ten million euro a year is to be provided by the National Transport Authority to expand bus services in rural Ireland.

The Connecting Ireland plan will see over 100 rural villages served by public transport - a proposed increase of approximately 25% in rural bus services.

In Waterford it means the provision of viable public transport options to towns and villages throughout the county.

Green Party TD Marc Ó Cathasaigh said it amounts to the single biggest investment in rural public transport in the history of the state:

“This plan is the first step towards improved connectivity between our rural towns and villages and our regional cities. It will mean that more than 70% of those living outside of cities will have access to a public transport service that provides at least three return trips each weekday to a nearby town. The heart has left many parts of rural Ireland over the last couple of decades but this plan will help bring the life back as residents will now have more access to their towns in their locality."

The plan is now open for consultation and members of the public are invited to give their views on the proposed routes, which are available to view here.

Proposed Waterford routes include new bus routes from Lismore to Youghal, and Dungarvan to Clonmel. The Passage East Ferry will also be used on routes from Waterford City to Kilkenny and Wexford. Improved inter-urban services serving Waterford-Dungarvan-Cork, Waterford-Limerick, Waterford-Wexford, Dungarvan-Lismore-Tallow-Fermoy-Mallow are also included in the plan.

current transport map

 Waterford proposals:

• Enhanced interurban bus services between Cork, Dungarvan, and Waterford
• Enhanced interurban bus services between Waterford and Limerick and Wexford
• New interurban bus services between Dungarvan via Lismore, Tallow and Fermoy and Mallow
• New local bus routes in the west of the county, from Lismore to Youghal and from Dungarvan to Clonmel
• New local bus routes from areas in counties Kilkenny and Wexford (via Passage East Ferry) into Waterford City, improving connectivity

proposed transport map

Críostóir Ó Faoláin, Green Party representative in Dungarvan added the plan "will be a game changer for West Waterford":

"Dungarvan will have better connections with Cork and Waterford, while a proposed new bus service between Dungarvan and Clonmel will fill in what has been a key missing link in the network. The plan is also good news for places like Clashmore, Aglish and Villierstown, which will be connected to the public transport network for the first time.”

 Maps, proposed schedules and further information on the consultation are available here: https://www.nationaltransport.ie/connecting-ireland/