New bus route proposed for Athlone-Ballinasloe route

A new bus route connecting rural areas between Athlone and Ballinasloe may soon be introduced.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) is currently working on a proposal with Local Link Galway, and is “reviewing public transport connections between Loughrea, Ballinasloe and Athlone, serving settlements such as Kilconnell and Ballydangan”.

That's according to Minister of State for the Office of Public Works Kieran O'Donnell, who provided the information in response to a submission in the Seanad by Fine Gael Senator Aisling Doran on the lack of public transport between Athlone and Ballinasloe.

Minister O'Donnell added that, “We also plan to improve evening connections between Galway and Loughrea. This is planned to go to public tender soon.

“Also in August of this year, an enhanced Intercity service was introduced on the Dublin to Galway rail service.”

Ballinasloe native Senator Dolan told the Seanad that the Bus Éireann Galway to Dublin regional routes, the 20 and X20 routes, were removed in 2021 because private providers Citylink and Aircoach were operating there. However, since April of this year, Aircoach has withdrawn from the route.

“The Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan was meant to connect rural communities. However, there is no regional or Local Link service connecting the communities living between the towns of Athlone and Ballinasloe, a stretch of 20km.”

Senator Dolan cited a survey carried out by Moore Community Services among people in South Roscommon, which got approximately 1,000 responses.

“In this survey, 50% of those surveyed would use this service for further connections. Some 500 people alone would use the service to get to the train station.

“We discuss loneliness, anxiety and isolation. We know that people are living healthy and active lives and that is what we want to see. We had a gentleman living to 107 years of age in County Roscommon.

“According to this survey, 900 people alone would use this service for social activities.

These are such activities as recreation, shopping, going to the cinema, meeting friends and having a coffee.

Senator Dolan said a bus route in the area would provide access to services via “an affordable travel option for people who do not drive, including older people, young people and those who do not have a car, or where there is just one car per household.”

She highlighted that one of the goals of Connecting Ireland was connecting people to medical and educational establishments, and questioned

“How do people get to medical appointments in Portiuncula University Hospital or primary care? How do students get to college in Athlone? How do they even make their way to train stations?”

In response, Minister O'Donnell told Senator Dolan that he was replying to her on behalf of Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan and that the statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services rests with the National Transport Authority (NTA).

Minister O'Donnell went on to outline the new routes that are being considered for the area by the NTA as part of the Connecting Ireland rural mobility plan.

Senator Dolan said she welcomed the news of the proposed routes, but hoped they could be put in place quickly, particularly as the area is a CLÁR funding and Just Transition area that is feeling the impact of the transition “more strongly than in many other regions across the country.”

In conclusion, Minister O'Donnell recommended that Senator Dolan take up the matter directly with the NTA.