New weekend bus route plan in County Limerick will help shorten long winter nights

A PLANNED new bus service on Friday and Saturday nights will help to combat long, lonely winter nights for some in south Limerick.

The proposed TFI Local Link bus route will serve the people of Kilmallock, Bulgaden, Martinstown and Kilfinane. It has been welcomed by Minister Patrick O’Donovan and Minister of State Niall Collins.

“It is encouraging to hear that procurement will begin shortly, in order to provide an evening service bus on Friday and Saturday,” said Mr O’Donovan who is hopeful of a start date in September. 

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Mr Collins said as the nights begin to close in for the winter the new service will help to combat isolation among the farming community and those living in rural south Limerick.

“I have worked hard to secure this with my colleague Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien. We  met with TFI Local Link Limerick Clare management Anne Gaughan and Marie O’Connor to progress this new route.

"There is no doubt that the communities in Bulgaden, Martinstown and Kilfinane will use this new route as they have expressed a growing demand for it.

"The service will operate on Friday and Saturday evenings, operating three times each evening and hopefully if there is the demand it will continue to expand further,” said Mr Collins. 

He continued: “I look forward to this being further expanded once the pilot phase of this project is completed. This new evening service will cater to people wishing to do basic tasks like shopping, along with others who may wish to socialise later into the evening.

"Local Link have provided our county with a fantastic service providing many new non-traditional routes which are proving very popular.”