Consolidation of Expressway services and begins plans for expansion of city and commuter services

Bus Éireann, Ireland’s national bus company, announces that its Expressway services between Dublin and Cork, Dublin and Galway and Dublin and Limerick are to cease, and the Dublin / Belfast service is to be suspended indefinitely.  This measure is being taken in response to significant medium-term challenges posed by Covid19 in order to safeguard Expressway’s remaining 14 national routes and meet demand required on other city and commuter services. 

This decision was taken at a Bus Éireann Board meeting today following considerable analysis and review over the past number of months. No cessation dates have been determined as yet but changes are likely early next year when the current Commercial Bus Operator emergency supports to the Cork, Limerick and Galway routes expire.  The X51 service from Galway to Limerick and the X1 service Dublin to Belfast have not been in receipt of emergency funding and services will formally cease on these routes over the next few months.   The National Transport Authority is responsible for transport connectivity and will review requirements along these routes to mitigate any impact.

“We have an opportunity through the July stimulus measures for public transport to increase our Bus Éireann city services in Cork, Galway and Limerick, as well other services as in Louth and Meath under contract to the NTA,” said Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Kent.  “This expansion will require more than 100 drivers which we can fully deliver by consolidating our Expressway network and taking a decision to withdraw from a small number of  Expressway routes which would otherwise incur unsustainable losses and thereby avoid job losses in a very difficult trading environment.”

Tuesday, 29th September, 2020