Passenger numbers on board the service have grown steadily since it was first introduced in late May
The free Lingaun Loop bus service has been 99.7% reliable, while almost three in every four people using the service close to the Kilkenny/Tipperary border are locals, interim research shows.
Passenger numbers on board the service have grown steadily since it was first introduced in late May, the action research interim report commissioned by Kilkenny LEADER Partnership reveals.
The data comes as the 16-seater, pilot minibus service enters its final month of operation across September. Active retirement, walking and hiking groups are being encouraged to get on board the 16-seater and make the most of the free service before it ceases at the end of the month. Expensive bus hire has been identified by many such groups as a barrier to excursions.
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The free service is managed by LocalLink Carlow Kilkenny Wicklow (LLCKW) and links in with existing bus services from Waterford, Tipperary and Kilkenny. The 16-seater minibus operates a clockwise loop that is broadly bounded by Tullahought, Carrick-on-Suir, Kilsheelan and Killamery. The service has been operating five loops per day, seven days a week, from just after 9am, right up until 6pm. Places on board are offered on a first-come-first-served basis.
READ: Picturesque part of Kilkenny is still ‘almost unknown’
Declan Rice, Kilkenny LEADER Partnership (KLP) CEO, urged anyone from the region who has not already used the service to avail of it during September. With schools now back, those interested in walking, hiking and history or smaller active retirement groups can avail of the opportunity to explore the region car-free and stop off at their leisure. And he encouraged those visiting Kilkenny, Tipperary and Waterford across the month to make sure they hop on board and explore the captivating Lingaun Valley for free.
“We are very thankful to everyone who has worked together to ensure this pilot project has been a success, particularly Lingaun Valley Tourism and businesses along the route," he said.
“We’ve just one more month to go and we want everyone, be they hoteliers, guesthouse owners, bar and restaurant staff and anyone who chats to visitors to the region to encourage people to use the service, explore the walks, hikes, historic landmarks, scenery and magic of the Lingaun Valley car-free.
“The interim report findings compiled by transport expert, Brendan Finn, from survey cards filled out by passengers on board the service shows that while passenger numbers through from weeks one to five were generally stable, at lower levels, weeks six through ten show growth of 87%.
“As we enter the final weeks of the pilot, we really want people to pull out all the stops so we can prove that this service is viable into the future and hopefully secure funding to make it permanent.”
Windgap has proven to be one of the most popular stops on the Lingaun Loop this summer. The village has woodland, a lake, heritage, and a lovely community-run café for tea and cake. For the month of September, the Lingaun Loop is adding an extra stop at the Windgap Lakeside Tea Rooms, starting on Monday, 1 September. The bus will no longer stop at Ahenny, where demand for the service was low. Route and timetable here: Lingaun Loop Bus Service – LINGAUN VALLEY
The Lingaun Loop project is co-funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development. The ‘action research’ pilot initiative will feed into a research project which will showcase demand and mobility options throughout the summer season. The raw data collected will be used to determine the feasibility of operating the service beyond the pilot term.
For more on the service, timetables and stops, log on to the Lingaun Valley website https://lingaunvalley.ie/lingaun-loop-bus-service.
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