Plans to launch new daily Tipperary Local Link bus service linking Nenagh, Thurles and Clonmel

A new frequent daily Tipperary Local Link bus service linking Clonmel, Thurles, Nenagh and communities in between is being developed, it was revealed at Tipperary County Council’s January meeting.

TFI Local Link Tipperary General Manager Anthony Moroney told the Council’s elected members the proposed Clonmel/Nenagh bus service route will travel via Thurles.

It will operate 18 hours a day with a bus travelling on the route approximately every two hours.

He outlined information about the new “spinal” bus service from the far north to extreme south of the county during his presentation updating the Council on Tipperary Local Link’s Regular Rural and Door-to-Door bus services, the Clonmel Town Bus Service and the organisation’s Climate Action Plan.

Mr Moroney said this new spinal service will allow anyone to travel by bus from any town in county Tipperary to connect to another town.

He explained to The Nationalist that the public consultation phase of the project is now complete and the National Transport Authority is in the process of selecting the route for and timetable.

The commencement of the service will be dependent on securing funding from the Department of Transport.

Mr Moroney estimated it could be in place at the end of this year at the earliest but it will most probably be 2026 before it gets the green light to start.

New Local Link Services in South Tipp

He also informed the Council that Local Link is working on providing new rural bus services for communities in the south of the county that have no Local Link bus. There is currently a tendering process taking place and he hoped to have the new services in place by the end of the year.

Mr Moroney expressed confidence that if they create new bus services that are reliable and consistent they will be used by the public. He stressed the importance of locating bus stops in town centres as some Local Link users have mobility issues.

Clonmel Cllr John Fitzgerald appealed for the Clonmel Town Bus Service to be extended to Clerihan village four miles away from the town in view of its population of 1,500 residents.

Cashel Independent Cllr Liam Browne requested that a stop off at Rosegreen be included in the new Nenagh to Clonmel route
Mr Moroney responded that Clerihan wouldn’t be part of the Clonmel Town Bus but it will be included on the new Nenagh to Clonmel spinal bus route that will run eight times a day.

He said this new service will more than likely stop in Rosegreen but the village’s inclusion was not fully decided as the final route had yet to be “bedded down” with the National Transport Authority.

Meanwhile, Cllr Mark Fitzgerald from Cloneen requested the Urlingford to Cashel Local Link Service also include stop offs in Ballinure and Dualla by incorporating a diversion around Horse & Jockey.

Mr Moroney promised to look into Cllr Fitzgerald’s request.

In relation to Cllr Siobhán Ambrose’s request for a Local Link service for Lisronagh, he said a private bus served this village and Local Link was prohibited from displacing private operators.

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