New bus routes to boost city network

BUS Éireann plans to roll out two new routes on its Limerick city service this year.

A new service from the city centre to Annacotty via Eastway Business Park is planned for the spring, allowing the company to serve more communities and customers.

Commuters at the University of Limerick campus at Plassey are also set to benefit from a new route, with the introduction of the planned Thomond village/city centre service. This service is due to start next September and will initially operate every hour.

Under the Government’s Transport 21 programme, a planned 188 new services in Limerick will bring the total number of city services to 4,058 on a Monday-to-Friday basis.

More than five million tickets are sold on Limerick’s city suburban and Expressway services every year.

The first major service improvement is due for introduction when the service between Caherdavin and the city centre moves to a higher frequency.

Improved frequencies are set to come into effect on the city centre route in the summer.

The spokeswoman said: “These new routes and service enhancements will be the first of what we hope will be a number of tangible improvements to bus services. They build on the improved services introduced in the city and county in recent times. They will enable and encourage more people than ever to use Bus Éireann’s network in Limerick city and we look forward to them coming on stream, combined with the introduction of new city buses, which will make the entire Limerick city bus fleet 100% low floor fully accessible.”