Ireland's first all-electric zero-emission bus route launched
Transport Minister Eamon Ryan at the launch of the new route this morning. Picture: Naoise Culhane
Ireland's first all-electric, emission-free bus service has been officially launched in Athlone.
The new Bus Éireann fleet, which will eventually comprise of 11 state-of-the-art electric buses and carry more than 11,000 passengers each week, is expected to drive a 400,000kg annual reduction in CO2.
To support the project, drivers and mechanics underwent a training programme on the use, maintenance and operation of the buses last year, and chargers and a new electricity substation have also been installed at the Bus Éireann depot on Station Road in the town.
Funded by the Government via the National Transport Authority (NTA), the Athlone route is the first to launch under the Department of Transport's Pathfinder programme, which will see other similar services rolled out across the country over the next three years.
The Department of Transport says the Pathfinder programme forms a key part of the National Sustainable Mobility Policy — the Government’s plan to meet Ireland’s requirement to achieve a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 in the transport sector.
Speaking at the launch on Friday, Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said the route was "important" and "a sign of exciting things to come."
“Driven by our new Climate Action Plan 2023, the future of Irish transport is on the cusp of radical change for the better," he said.
"That radical change will be driven by electricity — electric buses, electric cars, electric trains, powered for the most part by our own home-grown, cheaper renewable energy in the future."
National Transport Authority chief executive Anne Graham said the service was "a significant milestone" which would help make bus journeys cleaner, quieter, more comfortable, and more attractive to commuters and the general public.
“Athlone will be the first service in Ireland to be delivered entirely by electric buses, and we should not underestimate the significance of that for this town and for public transport in general," she said.
“The experience we gain here with our colleagues in Bus Éireann will doubtless stand us in good stead as NTA rolls out similar programmes in Dublin and in other cities and towns in the months and years ahead.”
