Appeal for U-turn on axed Laois bus route

PRESSURE is growing for the restoration of an axed bus service from Portarlington to Kildare Village, after an announcement that only half the route will be reinstated.

There was considerable annoyance when the ‘Green Bus’ from Portarlington to Kildare Village via Monasterevin was cancelled with effect from 30 November, leaving local people who live and work in Kildare Village without transport.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) announced on 9 December that the 816 route from Portarlington to Kildare Village, operated by Dublin Coach, would be replaced by a new 806 service, which would travel only from Portarlington to Monasterevin.

The announcement caused disappointment and frustration for local commuters in Portarlington, where a car pooling group has been set up for people who need to travel to Kildare Village.

Laois Independent TD Brian Stanley has appealed for a U-turn on the decision, saying that the NTA proposal ‘falls well short of what is required’.

When it cancelled the 816 service, Dublin Coach said the decision was due to declining passenger numbers, which made the route ‘uneconomic to operate’. The assessment is disputed by local passengers, who say the bus was regularly full and had to leave people behind.

The NTA said that it assessed the route corridor to determine whether there was a Public Service Obligation (PSO) to provide a service.

The NTA said: ‘Our assessment has concluded that a PSO does exist. As such, the NTA is now working on proposals to provide bus services between Portarlington and Monasterevin. The route number for this service will be route 806.’ 

The partial restoration means that commuters from Portarlington to Kildare Village will have to take two buses instead of one.

Highlighting the impact on local passengers, particularly those who relied on the full 816 service to travel to and from work, Deputy Stanley said in a statement: “The failure by the NTA to reinstate route 816 leaves Portarlington commuters without a proper service. A large number of workers from Portarlington and surrounding areas depend on this service to get to work in Kildare.

‘While the NTA have now informed me that they are ‘working on a proposal’ to provide a service from Portarlington to Monasterevin, this falls way short of what is required. It would mean these commuters would have to get a connecting bus in Monasterevin.

‘These Dublin-bound buses can often arrive almost full to capacity. The previous route from Portarlington to Kildare needs to be reinstated, as it provided an essential and affordable service for Portarlington people working in Kildare. I have contacted the NTA in this regard and requested they review their decisions.’ .