Clare Bus services will remain operational for the time being.
A planned board meeting, which could have seen the company’s board decide to wind down the service, was postponed at the eleventh hour last night after the NTA indicated that they would review the funding being made available to keep its buses on the road.
On yesterday’s edition of Morning Focus, Clare Accessible Transport Chairperson Ger Hoey stated that Clare Bus was facing an uncertain future.
He outlined how, due to funding shortfalls that have been in place since July, the board was close to making a decision to wind up operations.
This deficit came after the National Transport Authority cut its funding to Clare Bus, in tandem with its decision to launch a competitive tendering process for their services.
The NTA has told Clare FM that it has been advised by Clare Bus of its financial difficulties and that it is working with it to maintain its rural transport services here.
Clare FM understands that after contact between both sides yesterday, an agreement has been struck which staves off the immediate threat to Clare Bus services.
As a result, last night’s scheduled board meeting, which could have seen a decision taken to take the Clare Bus fleet off the road, did not go ahead and the service continues.
The NTA is still pressing ahead with the competitive tendering process for Clare Bus services, however, meaning question marks remain over the future of the company, albeit not immediately.
