New bus routes and increased capacity announced to connect Limerick to Munster towns

The new routes will link Limerick to Ballybunion, Co Kerry, to Mitchelstown, Co Cork, and to Scariff, Co Clare.

Thu, 20 Oct, 2022 - 13:09

Steven Heaney

Four new enhanced bus routes and improved bus services have been announced to connect Limerick to towns across Munster.

The enhanced routes, announced on Thursday by the Department of Transport, will link Limerick to each of Ballybunion, Co Kerry, to Mitchelstown, Co Cork and Scariff, Co Clare.

Another service, route 332, will link Cashel in Co Tipperary to Limerick for the first time. This route also includes a direct service to the University of Limerick (UL).

Limerick will also be connected to Ballybunion through an extension of the Bus Eireann route 314, while the existing 328 route between Limerick and Mitchelstown will triple in frequency.

From next week, route 345, which links Limerick to Scariff, will run five times per day.

Speaking this morning, Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said he hoped that the new routes, coupled with recently introduced fare reductions, would "make it easier for people to be able to access and choose public transport as their preferred way of travelling this winter.”

"The Government is very conscious of the need to connect people and places in rural as well as urban areas, with accessible, integrated, and sustainable public transport," he said.

Outside Munster, there will also be a trebling and doubling of service frequencies and new regional connections between the midlands and northeast regions, linking Dundalk and Ardee, Drogheda and Trim and Athlone to Longford.

Overall, Mr Ryan said that 10 counties will benefit from the newly-announced routes: Cavan, Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Meath, Tipperary and Westmeath.

He said a total of 72 towns and villages would see getting enhanced services and connectivity, and almost 50 new jobs would be generated as a result.

Echoing Mr Ryan's remarks, National Transport Authority CEO Anne Graham said the improved connections between Limerick and its hinterland would mean "more towns and villages have the option of using public transport services which are now more frequent and reliable."