The National Transport Authority and the Minister for Transport are being urged to intervene, amid complaints over an Ennis bus service said to be in decline.
Representatives from Dublin Coach are to be invited to attend a meeting of the county town’s elected councillors amid reports of a “growing number of issues” with its Green Bus service from Ennis to Dublin.
Starting in Tralee and terminating at Bachelor’s Quay in Dublin, Dublin Coach’s M7 Express Service operates daily, serving Ennis and Bunratty as well as the likes of Killarney, Adare, Annacotty and Kildare Village.
Although it was hailed for its efficiency and value for money when first launched in 2013, there has been a rising number of complaints in recent years relating to punctuality and capacity, as well as alleged “no-show” buses.
On foot of these reports, Fine Gael Councillor Mary Howard has tabled a motion at this week’s Ennis Muncipal District meeting requesting that Dublin Coach representatives are invited to the next meeting to explain the reasons for these issues and outline how they’ll be addressed.
Councillor Howard says while a shortage of drivers appears to be a problem, solutions must be sought as the service is currently failing those in need of it.
The motion received unanimous support in the chamber with Councillor Tom O’Callaghan saying it was a “fantastic service when it started” but has since disimproved and Councillor Paul Murphy claiming people are being “left at the side of the road” on a regular basis.
Councilor Tommy Guilfoyle criticised the ownership model of Dublin Coach, which is one of the largest privately-owned public transport companies in Ireland, saying the issues discussed are an inevitable consequence of the “privatisation of public services”.
As a result of the motion, Dublin Coach will now be contacted with a view to a briefing being set up between them and the Ennis MD councillors.
Although a private entity, the company is licensed by the National Transport Authority which operates under the aegis of the Department of Transport.
Longtime public transport advocate and Ennis Green Party representative Brigid Ginnity says given this fact, remedying the issues raised is the Government’s responsibility.
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