Traffic jams cost Bus Éireann €1m a year
Limerick city buses carried 3.2 million passengers last year.
Ms Flynn has made a renewed call to Limerick City Council to introduce dedicated bus lanes in order to give a better service and save money.
Vandalism to the fleet is costing over €300,000 with glass repair bills alone running at €150,000 a year.
Youths barraged a vehicle near Garryowen at the weekend and the driver is work having been hit in the arm by a rock.
Bus Éireann management are in ongoing talks with City Hall about opening up bus lanes.
Ms Flynn said the ‘green route’ concept had already been introduced outside the city boundary between Raheen Roundabout and Ballykeeffe estate following consultations with Limerick County Council.
She said: “The green route gives priority to public transport and to cyclists. It has a wider remit than a dedicated bus route.”
She said green routes could be given exclusively to buses and cyclists for certain peak periods - 7am to 10am and 4pm to 7pm - with cars having use outside of those hours.
Ms Flynn said: “With regard to the city council we are in engaged in public consultation to progress the construction of a green route on the Ennis Road.
“We are also working with the council in conjunction with the Department of Transport to test an Urban Traffic Control system aimed at prioritising traffic lights to facilitate bus movement. The introduction of green routes will reduce journey times and result in more efficient vehicle utilisation. We aim to continue working with the local authorities towards the provision of bus-priority measures.”
The company has introduced an improved service between the city centre and southern suburbs with a service every 10 minutes to Raheen and an hourly service between the city centre and Ballycummin.
With huge transport demands from students at the University of Limerick there is now a service to the campus every 15 minutes.
