Planned reduction of essential Mayo bus service criticised
The Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, has today contacted the National Transport Authority (NTA) to call on them to reverse a decision to reduce the 450 bus service on Achill.
The 450 service currently serves Dooagh to Louisburgh via Westport. In Achill it also has stops including Dugort and Dooniver. Under a new proposal announced by the NTA yesterday 12th February, the service will no longer serve the existing stops at Dugort and Dooniver from 22nd February.
A statement from the NTA said: “Passengers in Dugort and Dún Ibhir will continue to have access to public transport through TFI Anseo, the NTA’s Smart On Demand public transport service, which is currently being piloted on Achill Island for a 12 month period."
"Customers in Dugort an Dún Ibhir who wish to travel further afield can use TFI Anseo to book a trip to Gob an Choire or Mulranny, from where they can connect onto routes 450, 460a or 460b to Westport, Castlebar or Béal an Mhuirthead.”
Minister Calleary said the decision by the NTA to reduce the service is not a good idea.
“TFI Anseo has been game-changing for Achill and is a wonderful service, but it is still a pilot scheme that is still getting off the ground, so it cannot be used as an excuse for this change. There has been no confirmation that it will be continued, and, in any event, it does not replace the service adequately. Will passengers be expected to pay two fares under this new proposal?
“While the NTA are proposing to remove only two stops, these stops service a huge area of Achill. Dugort is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Achill which sees its population increase by thousands in the summer months. TFI Anseo is nowhere near ready to meet this demand.”
Local Councillor Paul McNamara has also expressed his deep dissatisfaction.
“This cannot be allowed to go ahead. People travel from all over the north side of the island to these two bus stops. It is essentially cutting a whole cohort of local people off from daily life, people who are reliant on this service all year round. Also, I would invite anyone form the NTA to come to Dugort in June, July or August to see the volumes of people who are here and let them justify this decision.”
Concluding, Minister Calleary said: “I am calling on the NTA to reverse this decision to allow for full engagement with all stakeholders. I feel it has been made in haste without assessing the full consequences. I will also be raising this issue with my colleague, Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien at the earliest opportunity.”
