Negotiations begin to restore busy bus route in Limerick
THE NATIONAL Transport Authority (NTA) has confirmed plans are being progessed to replace the 307 and 308 bus routes in Castletroy and Annacotty with a new route called the 310.
Dublin Coach said that rising fuel costs and being excluded from the 20% fare reduction scheme which was announced by Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan earlier this year were the reasons behind the suspension.
The transport company did not qualify for the scheme as they were a private bus company.
The NTA says it has now opened discussions with Dublin Coach about providing a replacement service with one bus route - to be called the 310.
"The Authority is currently in negotiations with Dublin Coach to enter into a Public Service Obligation (PSO) contract for one urban route, Route 310, in Limerick City. Subject to successful negotiations, we are working towards a contract signing and route commencement date in the near future," a statement by the NTA said.
The NTA gained funding for the replacement service in August and began work on the design of a new route in the same month.
Labour Cllr for Limerick City East Elena Secas welcomed the news.
"It's fantastic news, I had a call only today from somebody living in Annacotty telling me how inconvenient and how difficult it is for them because there is no bus service. It's fantastic that it's happening," Cllr Secas said.
"It has taken so long for negotiations to be carried out. People are so frustrated at this stage and they can't believe it's taking so long. Somebody asked if this incident happened in Dublin would it have taken so long?" Cllr Secas added.
Cllr Secas concluded by saying: "I really hope that we see the new bus service on the streets of Annacotty and on the Groody Road sooner rather than later."