Bus Éireann to ramp up driver recruitment in Cork City in bid to reverse service cuts

Bus Éireann blamed congestion, lack of enforcement of bus lanes, and a shortage of drivers for a reduction in services.

Bus Éireann is set to ramp up bus driver recruitment in Cork City in a bid to reverse service cuts caused by a driver shortage.

It is also hoping to recruit enough drivers over the next 12 months to ensure the rollout of the city’s proposed expanded network envisaged by BusConnects Cork.

The network was designed and launched just over three years ago following a blank slate review of the entire network — the single biggest overhaul of the network in decades.

It led to the unveiling in November 2021 of a new network that promised more bus services with shorter wait times, as well as a simplified route and fares structure to make interchange seamless.

But three years on, and Bus Éireann has actually reduced services, announcing a raft of cuts last October on five of the city’s high frequency services.

It has blamed congestion, lack of enforcement of bus lanes, and a shortage of drivers for the move.

A dedicated HR expert has been working for several months to recruit additional drivers, with about 21 candidates progressing through driver training school in Cork.

But a company spokesman said it plans to increase its recruitment campaigns early in the new year to ensure it is in a position to deliver BusConnects to the people of Cork City.

“This includes the introduction of monthly open mornings at our Capwell depot, the first of which is planned for January 21, 2025,” it said.

“Further details will be posted on careers.buseireann.ie.

“We encourage anyone who has an interest in becoming a bus driver and wants to find out more about the career to attend our open days.” 

Meanwhile, on the rail side, Cork City Council has unanimously agreed to write to the incoming transport minister to reinforce the importance of ensuring the railway order for phase two of the massive Cork Commuter Rail Project (CCRP) is approved as soon as it is received from Irish Rail.

The contract, the fourth on the journey to deliver the CCRP, had three specific and significant work packages, including:

• The design of, and option to build, eight new stations on the commuter rail lines which run from Cork north to Mallow, east to Midleton, and south to Cobh, upgrades to the existing nine commuter stations, and the development of a major multi-modal integrated transport hub next to the city’s Kent train station;
• The design of a new fleet depot for up to 150 carriages, with six sites under consideration;
• The electrification of the network following confirmation that static charging of a battery electric fleet at the termini and depot has been identified as the preferred option.

A joint venture involving Roughan O’Donovan and TYPSA are designing new stations for Monard, an area earmarked for a new town; for the site of a former train station at Kilbarry, near Blackpool; for a new site in Tivoli, where significant residential growth is planned on Port of Cork land; at Carrigtwohill West, Water Rock, and Ballynoe, as well as two strategic park-and-ride train stations — one at Blarney, to support major residential growth at Stoneview, and one at the Irish Rail-owned North Esk site in Dunkettle.

At least five stations will be delivered over the coming year or two, with others coming later as housing is developed nearby.

Subject to planning being granted, and funding, which is in place, it is hoped that all of the work will be completed by 2030.

Funded by the National Transport Authority and EU resilience funding, the huge CCRP has involved several major engineering projects already to ensure the new commuter trains can run, with work under way on the €23m through-platform project at Kent Station, the €180m signalling and communications upgrade of the network, and the €90m dual-tracking of the Glounthaune to Midleton line.