DETAILS OF 67 new or enhanced bus services across Ireland have been announced today. 

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan and the National Transport Authority (NTA) have launched the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan for 2023.

67 new or enhanced Connecting Ireland bus services are proposed in the plan, strengthening existing services and connecting more towns and townlands across the state.

Details of where the new or enhanced services will operate can be read here. 

NTA NTA

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Last year, Connecting Ireland delivered 38 new and enhanced bus services across various counties, bringing new bus services to 67 additional towns.

These services are provided on behalf of the NTA by 15 TFI Local Link offices nationwide, including Laois/ Offaly Local Link which is managed by Frances Byrne, who attended today’s launch.

Bus Éireann will also be a key partner in delivery of new Connecting Ireland services this year.

Some 20 of the routes identified in the 2023 implementation plan are to be delivered by Bus Éireann in counties such as Galway, Waterford, Clare and Cork.

This is on top of the seven new and enhanced services they implemented last year, providing connectivity for 72 towns and villages and adding 1.7 million kilometres to the overall public transport network.

“The Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan, launched in 2021, has already played a key role in towns and villages across Ireland and providing people with new choices to travel by bus,” Minister Eamon Ryan said. 

“But now, we want to go further and build on that success with many more new and enhanced routes planned for 2023,” he said.

The Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan, an initiative of the NTA, is an ambitious programme of enhancements to create a more integrated, accessible and sustainable public transport network for rural Ireland.