Expressway to withdraw 'lifeline services'

EXPRESSWAY will withdraw its Dublin Airport to Waterford Bus Service, Route 4 from 24 May, it announced on Friday 27 March.

At present route 4 operates 12 services a day, stopping at Dublin Airport, Busaras, Dublin Heuston, Carlow Town, SETU Carlow, Leighlinbridge Cross, Royal Oak, Gowran, Thomastown, Ballyhale, Mullinavat and Waterford Bus Station.

Expressway is a commercial service which receives no state funding.

In a statement, Expressway said that they had cancelled the service as they experience “continuous significant losses” while operating it.

“The decision to consolidate our Expressway network and withdraw from a small number of routes is aimed at safeguarding the Expressway network,” a spokesperson said. “Given the scale of our operations, there will be no impact on jobs given our current recruitment needs” In addition to withdrawing route 4, Expressway also announced that route 52, which connects Ballina and Galway and a segment of route 40, which connects Rosslare/Wexford and Waterford, are also being withdrawn.

A spokesperson for Expressway said that any customer who has a prebooked journey on any of the impacted services will be contacted and provided with a full refund.

Peter Chap Cleere, Fianna Fáil TD for the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency and a spokesperson for rural affairs, called the cancellation a “major blow” to communities across Carlow and Kilkenny.

Deputy Cleere confirmed that he will raise the matter with both the National Transport Authority and Bus Éireann.

“This route is not just a transport service — it is a vital lifeline for so many people,” deputy Cleere said. “Workers, students, families and older people rely on this service every day to access employment, education, healthcare and Dublin Airport.” John McGuinness, leas ceann comhairle and Fianna Fáil TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, criticised the decision to withdraw the regional Expressway services.

Deputy Cleere also called on the National Transport Authority to implement an investigation into a Public Service Obligation on the loss of service on Waterford to Dublin Airport bus route.

Deputy McGuinness warned that the decision runs counter to Ireland’s legally binding climate commitments, with the state aiming to significantly increase public transport usage by 2030 or face potentially substantial EU penalties.

“We are supposed to be getting people onto buses and trains to meet our ambitious 2030 climate targets – yet, here we are removing services that people depend on. It is completely contradictory and risks pushing more people back into private cars,” deputy McGuinness said.

He also raised concerns about the constraints posed by EU competition rules, which limit the ability to subsidise commercially operated routes.

“It seems that EU competition laws expect us to meet our climate obligations with one hand tied behind our backs. If essential regional routes are treated purely as commercial ventures, then rural Ireland will always lose out,” Deputy McGuinness said.