Major increase in Local Link bus passengers in Laois/Offaly

The number of passengers using Local Link bus services in Laois and Offaly has soared in recent years, rising from 28,000 passengers a year in 2020 to 153,000 last year, according to Transport for Ireland (TFI).

The five-fold increase in passenger numbers was welcomed by Ekaterina Koneva, the Green Party's local area representative for Birr.

Ms Koneva described the increase as an example of how the Green Party was using its position in Government to boost public transport and reduce car dependency.

"This is part of a national rollout of 66 new Local Link services and 39 expanded services across the country since 2020, including, for example, the daily Bus route number 850 Athlone-Roscrea, which connects three counties and picks up passengers in Shinrone, Birr, Cloghan, and other small towns and villages in Offaly," she stated.

"This increase has been driven by the Green Party's commitment to improving rural public transport, giving people an opportunity to travel who otherwise could not, and giving others the choice to travel more sustainably and leave the car at home.

"These figures show that there is a strong appetite for reliable and affordable public transport in Offaly.

"By opening new routes, bus travel is becoming more appealing to everybody living in our area and a strong competitor to car travel.

"This development will revitalise previously neglected regions, providing a very effective means of taking cars off our roads, reducing congestion, and harmful emissions," she concluded.