Bus Éireann officially launch new Kerry network of services
GAA stalwart Darragh Ó’Sé drives home the changes
Kerry football legend Darragh Ó’Sé showed a keen interest in taking to the wheel, as he officially launched Bus Éireann’s revised Kerry network of services.
The six time All-Ireland medal winner was at Tralee bus station today, to mark the celebrations for the re-designed network, and posed with local drivers on a coach.
The revised network – which was developed by the National Transport Authority (NTA) in partnership with Bus Éireann, and is supported by Kerry LocalLink – started six weeks ago.
It includes more user friendly timetables and more frequent services connecting local county towns such as Ballybunion, Lixnaw, Abbeydorney and Castleisland with Tralee.
It also now offers several enhanced summer services to locations such as Dingle and Kenmare, and improved public transport access to/from Kerry Airport.
The launch involved an outside broadcast with Radio Kerry at Tralee station, where several business and tourism representatives spoke about the benefits of the reconfigured network.
President of the Tralee Chamber Alliance John Drummey said the improved services allowed for better connectivity from surrounding areas, into a Tralee hub.
“People take the bus to work, to shop or to do business in Tralee and across the county, and connectivity is very important for both local businesses and communities,” he said.
Kerry Airport spokesman Basil Sheeran said airport customers benefitted from the better connections between Kerry Airport and Tralee.
“With over three hundred thousand passengers it is very important that people travelling to and from Kerry Airport have public transport that can bring them to a main hub, which offers onward connections to many key destinations across the county,” he said. “Better public transport is a key factor to ensuring Kerry Airport remains an airport of choice for customer travelling to and from the region.”
Bus Éireann Regional Manager Southwest, Miriam Flynn said the recent revisions and improvements have made bus services more accessible for many customers travelling to and from Kerry: “The revised network will deliver an excellent public transport service for commuters travelling to work, for students travelling to third level colleges, and to tourists and visitors to the county. We believe these improvements will be of real benefit to people living in and visiting Co. Kerry,” she said.
The revisions have been designed to improve travel opportunities by bus in the county, and to better meet the changing travel needs of Co. Kerry residents and its many visitors.
Some areas will be provided with services by KerryLocalLink – please check individual timetables for details. Features of the new timetables include:
- More user-friendly clock-face timetables
- New - daily regular services between Abbeyfeale , Castleisland and Tralee and between Ballybunion and Tralee
- Increased levels of service year-round and especially during the summertime – on services to Dingle, Kenmare, Ballybunion and Ballyheigue, especially at weekends
- Better connectivity with rail services at Tralee and Killarney
- Enhanced public transport access to/from Kerry Airport
- Direct services to both Tralee IT and to Kerry Regional Hospital
For more details see here: http://www.buseireann.ie/inner.php?id=247#Kerry
Tuesday, 7th July, 2015