Local Link to bridge lost bus stop

Plans are afoot to have the Local Link bus service bridge a gap left by a Killkenny based bus company.

The announcement this week of cuts to 14 stops on the Dublin to Limerick bus route, in the name of delivering a faster service, saw the Moneygall stop dropped.

JJ Kavanagh & Sons announced the changes to the 735 route, promising to "operate a new faster timetable" on the Limerick – Dublin City – Dublin Airport service.

"The following stops have been removed from this service Belmont Cross, Dalys Cross, Annaholty, Birdhill, Toomevarra, Moneygall, Borris-In-Ossory, and Mountrath," read a company statement.

The new service will have stops in Dublin, Limerick, Kildare, Portlaoise, Roscrea and Nenagh and will be motorway based.

However, Cllr John Clendennen was part of a meeting between the National Transport Authority and TDs from Laois, Offaly, Tipperary and Limerick following the announcement that the bus company was to drop a number of stops along the Limerick to Dublin route.

"The minute the news broke we knew we had to put the pressure on all agencies to make sure communities were served," Cllr John Clendennen told the Offaly Independent this week.

"There are plans now to extend the Local Link bus service to cover this route to ensure villages and the surrounding communities are not left stranded.

"Obviously it wasn't good news that the bus services was stopped in villages through Laois, Offaly, Tipperary and Limerick, but we feel we may have the solution and we hope to build on these plans in the future.

"So what was initially a bad news story hopefully will have a good outcome for everyone involved," continued Cllr Clendennen.