Mayo tourist town is 'lacking bus connections'
Parts of Louisburgh are not being well served by public bus services and this, in turn, is impacting on potential tourism growth for the region.
Local councillor Cllr Chris Maxwell raised the issue at the recent meeting of Westport Belmullet Municipal District, noting that Louisburgh "has a problem with connectivity into Westport whether people are going to work or to socialise".
"We are in the process of trying to get the National Transport Authority (NTA) and the main bus service to come on board and try and increase the bus service between Killeen, Roonagh, Louisburgh town and the Delphi side into Westport, to improve the national bus service that is a public service. It needs to broaden in our area in a big way, and so that tourism can flow out to our rural areas and the islands.
"It is vitally important this is done by Bus Éireann in conjunction with a better Rural Links service which we need up and running immediately. The Louisbugh to Killeen route on this was stopped and we want it reinstated.”
Cllr Maxwell said he had made political representations to the Dáil on the matter but to no avail.
“We are not getting any good response, in fact it is quite negative. We have 500 signatures already to get this on the agenda and get the NTA and relevant authorities to see sense that the service is needed, as well as later services into the evening.”
He asked for the backing of fellow councillors on the matter, saying: “This is awful important for the survival of our community. We want people coming into Louisburgh and the whole area west of Westport. We have all the attractions back there but are not getting the benefits out of them. This campaign is ongoing and will follow to the bitter end.”
Municipal District manager Seamus Ó Mongáin said he would highlight the matter with Bus Éireann management in order to explore options.
- Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
