Clare Bus Chair Warns Of Permanent Office Closure Following NTA Contract Decision

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The Chairman of Clare Bus is warning that they’ll be closing the office for good and turning off the lights by Friday unless the NTA engages in urgent discussions with them.

It follows an announcement by the National Transport Authority in recent days, which has seen Clare Bus management lose the contract it won in December of last year to operate the service.

The past 12 months has seen much uncertainty over the future of Clare Bus, with responsibility for the coordination of the service moved from its Feakle base to Local Link Limerick Clare last April.

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This latest blow is putting the livelihoods of 25 staff on the line, with management saying they have agreed to pay them up until the end of this week but unless things change, they will be unable to do so after that.

Chairman Ger Hoey has been telling Clare FM’s James Mulhall that the NTA has left them in a severely difficult place.

NTA Statement:

In December, Clare Bus was advised by the NTA that they were the preferred bidder for the publicly tendered  Local Link services in Clare and contract signing was due to take place in January 2020.

“However, as of today’s date, Clare Bus has been unable to conclude the contract.

“As a result, Limerick-Clare Local Link is putting alternative arrangements in place on an interim basis.  There will be no disruption to services for customers arising from this.

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