Overhaul of rural transport ‘a new start’

The Rural Transport Programme (RTP) is to be radically overhauled under cost-saving plans announced by Alan Kelly, the public transport minister.

The 35 firms currently running the service will be replaced by 18 transport co-ordination units (TCUs) across the country.

For the first time, local government will have a role in the planning of rural transport. The TCUs will be mostly based in local authority regions and councils will co-ordinate the running of transport services within their regions.