Kilkenny TD calls on Minister to keep bus route running until replacement is ready

Sinn Féin TD for Carlow – Kilkenny, Natasha Newsome Drennan, has called on the Minister for Transport to intervene immediately to ensure that Expressway Route 4 continues to operate until a full replacement service is in place.

Deputy Newsome Drennan warned that the route is far more than a express link between Waterford and Dublin, it is a vital link for rural communities across Carlow and Kilkenny.

“I have written to the Minister stressing that urgent action is needed to keep this route running,” Deputy Newsome Drennan said.

“From students travelling to college to older people getting to medical appointments, the level of dependency on this service cannot be overstated. The recent review clearly showed that the route meets the requirements for a full Public Service Obligation (PSO) contract – yet that has still not been delivered.

READ MORE: https://www.kilkennypeople.ie/news/south-kilkenny/2057829/anger-and-worry-public-meeting-held-over-withdrawal-of-key-kilkenny-bus-route.html

“Rural communities deserve more than empty promises from backbenchers. They need a firm commitment from the Minister and Bus Éireann that these services will be continued and protected. I am asking the Minister to step in and ensure Expressway services remain in place until a replacement is fully operational.

‘’I have heard from so many people whose lives will be flipped upside down as a result of this, some have told me they’ve started looking to move homes, which is madness in the middle of a housing crisis.

“This route is used by workers, students, and the elderly. Withdrawing the service without any alternative lined up will leave a huge number of people with no transport to get to college, work or vital appointments, and that is simply not acceptable. The Government should be enhancing rural transport, not stripping it away.”