Changes designed to improve service
LIMERICK city is about to lose three bus routes – but the transport company says it has improved the remaining six to serve these areas and give a better overall service. Route 39A, serving city centre to Hyde Road, Greenfileds and Raheen, route 305 stop at Coonagh and 312 from city centre to Ballycummin, are being replaced with changes to routes 301, 343 Shannonlink and the revised 301 and 304 routes, respectively. The new organisation of the city routes will give commuters a better service “with more frequent services on some routes, increased reliability, clearer timetables, and a simplified network,” according to Bus Éireann.
The changes will come into effect on September 16, when the three routes will be dropped.
Route 301 from Westbury will be extended to operate via the bus/rail station and Hyde Road to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital. This service will also serve the Fr Russell Road area.
Route 302 from the City Centre via Limerick Institute of Technology to Caherdavin, will continue to operate on its current routing, providing a direct service to Thomond Park Stadium and Limerick Institute of Technology. The route will also offer improved frequency on Sundays.
The revised route 303 timetable will connect Pineview/Craeval Park to the city centre. This route is also extended to serve Carew Park, O’Malley Park and the Janesboro area, and a bus will now arrive every 30 minutes.
The new 304 route will continue to link the Raheen area to the city centre. It will now also be extended to operate via the bus/rail station to Castletroy and the University of Limerick, which was previously served by route 308 City Centre-University and it will offer a service every 15 minutes.
Route 305 between St Mary’s Park and Lynwood, will operate as before but will have a one-per hour weekday frequency.
Route 306 will continue to connect the Ballynanty area to the city centre and will also be extended to operate via the Dublin Road and Parkway Retail Park to serve the Brookfield residential area close to University of Limerick.
In tandem with these improvements, Bus Éireann has also introduced seven new vehicles to its Limerick city fleet to replace older vehicles. All seven vehicles, which have been funded by the NTA, feature free Wi-Fi, low floor access and comfort seating.
“These changes being introduced will make Limerick’s city bus service easier to use and easier to understand. Combined with the new vehicles introduced earlier in the year, we believe these improvements will be of real benefit to people living in and visiting Limerick”, said Miriam Flynn, regional manager, South-West, Bus Éireann.
