Town Bus celebrates its first birthday

THE Carlow Town Bus Service has “strengthened the fabric” of the town. That’s the view of Bus Éireann’s chief customer officer Allen Parker, speaking on the one-year anniversary of the launch of the service.

Operated by the bus company and the National Transport Authority (NTA), the CW1 and CW2 routes have delivered more than 365,000 passenger journeys, an average of over 1,000 a day by the people of Carlow. The daily services have covered close to 400,000km, with buses running every half-hour in both directions.

Ninety-four percent of Carlow town’s population is now within an 800-metre walk of a bus stop on the network, while 64% of households are within a 400-metre walk of one.

Mr Parker said the anniversary celebrates not only a milestone in transportation but also the company’s commitment to community and connectivity.

“Over the past year, this service has transformed daily commutes, reduced emissions and strengthened the fabric of Carlow by bringing people closer together. Bus Éireann looks forward to the continued success of the Carlow Town Bus Service and to many more years of connecting Carlow with efficiency, sustainability and care.” NTA chief executive Anne Graham said: “The local community in Carlow has embraced its town bus service and their response has been overwhelming.” Marking the anniversary, Carlow Tourism CEO Eileen O’Rourke said the service “has had a very positive impact both on visitors to the town and local residents”, making the town and the immediate surrounding area more accessible, easy to navigate and improving connectivity to the main tourist offerings. She added that the service is not only affordable but is also noted for its reliability and friendly drivers, which contributes to a “welcoming impression of the town”.