NTA Consultation on Public Transport Proposals in Tipperary

The National Transport Authority is asking the public for feedback on the new Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan.

This includes proposals for new routes connecting towns and villages across Tipperary.

The proposals include connections from Thurles to Clonmel, Cashel to Callan and Thurles to Urlingford. 

Other proposals are to connect Tipperary and larger towns like Ennis.  

They also propose increasing the frequency of some existing routes.

The initiative plans to put in place new public transport routes for communities outside of major towns and cities and improve existing ones.

Minister Eamon Ryan says his department has allocated €5.6million to the NTA for public transport. 

"To have strong local economies and to give people real options for getting around you need good public transport links – this plan represents a step-change in delivering good quality public transport in rural Ireland," said Minister Ryan. 

The NTA is proposing an approximate 25% increase in bus routes over a five-year plan. 

70% of people in rural Ireland  are to have access to at least three return trips daily to their nearest town. 

One hundred rural areas will have access to three return trips to their county town. 

They are also planning to introduce 60 new connection to regional cities and the surrounding areas. 

NTA CEO Anne Graham says:

"We know that for many people, living in a village or in a rural area can mean that accessing services, or employment, or education, or even retail is difficult if not impossible, without using a private car. We want to change that.

I believe that expanding the public transport network and increasing service levels, in the way we are proposing, will mean that more people in rural areas will have greater levels of freedom whether or not they have a car," said Ms Graham

The current proposals are broken down by county and can be viewed by going to the consultations page on the NTA site.

A feedback form is also available for each county.

The closing date for feedback is December 10, 2021.

The plan is to be implemented in 2022.

"What’s more important now is for us to get the views of members of the public – particularly those in rural areas – about Connecting Ireland.

We’re asking people to go to nationaltransport.ie, read the details about what Connecting Ireland means for your area and your county, and give us your feedback," said Ms Graham. 

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