NTA to review bus services in Carlow town with ‘possible tweaks’
Over 400,000 bus journeys have taken place since the two routes were launched in 2023
THE National Transport Authority is set to review the bus services in Carlow town in mid-2027, Pádraig O’Gorman, the director of services for transportation, environment, climate action and emergency services at Carlow Co Council, announced at the recent Carlow Municipal District meeting.
Mr O’Gorman said that the review would focus on “the possible expanding of the bus service to areas of the town that are not currently being serviced; the possible tweaking of the existing two bus routes in the service; and, finally, the conversion of the bus fuel to non-fossil fuel usage”.
The review will also look at linking Carlow Train Station to the bus route.
Mr O’Gorman reported that from conversations he had had with John Keyes, the service planning manager at the National Transport Authority, he expected the review to kick off with a public meeting in May or June.
The review was meant to take place after a year of the two bus routes being in service.
Councillors at the meeting welcomed the review but expressed their disappointment at how late it had come.
Cllr Fergal Browne said: “The review is long overdue and I think we’ve been treated with a little contempt by the NTA in this regard. We were told we’d get electric buses; we never got them. We were way later getting the service in the first place than we were meant to get it.”
Mr O’Gorman said that the review would take into consideration current and past boarding trends, a review of recent and planned housing projects, how punctual and reliable the current services are, population and demand data, and consultations with the public and the council.
Mr O’Gorman said that the launch of the bus routes had been a great success, with over 400,000 bus journeys having taken place since the two routes were launched on 27 July 2023.
