THREE new bus services will be launched from Monday increasing public transport connectivity from East Clare.
TFI Local Link Limerick Clare have announced plans to put the wheels in motion for three new bus services from Monday (August 28th). The three new Regular Rural Services (RRS) will all operate seven days a week in what is seen as a major boost in public transport for the people of Clare.
This is part of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan which is a national public transport initiative developed and funded by the National Transport Authority (NTA) as part of the Transport for Ireland (TFI) Network.
Route 318 will be TFI Local Link’s first service operating from Ennis to Limerick. The route, will take in towns and villages including Quin, Kilkishen, O’Callaghan’s Mills, Broadford and Ardnacrusha. The route will have three return journeys a day Monday to Sunday with the addition of an early morning connection from Quin to Limerick and a late evening return service from Limerick to Quin, an area which has seen a large population increase in recent years.
Its early morning service is due to arrive into Ennis before 9am with a range of return journey options to cater for workers. The route also includes stops at Knappogue Castle and Quin Abbey, one of the most well preserved Franciscan Abbey’s in Ireland, which will give tourists the option to use public transport to visit the area.
Route 342 will run from Flagmount to Ennis servicing Feakle, Scariff and Tulla along the way. This service will have three return journeys per day Monday to Sunday. Visitors can also see views of Lough Graney, one of the largest lakes in Clare and take in the Cahermurphy Looped Walk.
Commencing in Whitegate, Route 344 will travel to Ennis and will run four return journeys Monday to Sunday. This new route will really benefit Whitegate and Mountshannon in particular and will enable better access for locals and tourists. The service will facilitate workers to get to Ennis for 8am with the option to connect with Irish Rail, Bus Éireann and other public transport services. Early evening and a night return journey will provide people with the freedom to work late and still have access to bus services to get them home.
Timetables have been designed by the NTA and TFI Local Link working in partnership to meet the needs of local people, following a public consultation earlier this year.
Anne Gaughan, General Manager of TFI Local Link Limerick Clare said it was a “substantial expansion of services” in the county. She stated, “These new high frequency routes provide a vital level of connectivity for passengers, which they can rely on to travel to work, college, training, sightseeing, or meeting family and friends”.
She believed the NTA were “committed to the growth and development of local bus services, as we work together to deliver affordable, accessible public transport for our area. I’m delighted that, one of the services, includes our first Ennis to Limerick route which will provide new public transport opportunities for local people in towns and townslands along the way”.
