‘Drink-link’ bus service extended for three months
SHANE Ross is extending his rural ‘drink-link’ nighttime transport service by three months.
The Transport Minister last summer announced plans for the late-night Local Link rural bus transport service as he fought to introduce stricter drink-driving laws.
The pilot project was initially set to run up to December 31, serving rural areas, typically from 6pm to 11pm on Friday and Saturday nights, at a cost of €450,000 to the State. The National Transport Authority was then set to review the results. But Mr Ross has confirmed the pilot programme – which now has 65 services across all 26 counties – will be extended for a further three months.
Mr Ross’s department said the NTA’s initial review determined that ‘the majority of the services are performing well’.
But the NTA also felt the sixmonth pilot programme was a ‘relatively short period’ within which ‘to gauge passenger usage and trends’. So it has decided to extend the pilot of these so-called rural ‘drinklink’ services until the end of March.
Following a further review, a decision will be taken ‘regarding future funding’ for these operations.
The Local Link programme was initially due to operate routes across 19 counties, but Mr Ross said this has now extended to all 26 counties in the Republic.
Travel pass holders and pensioners can use the late Local Link services for free while other passengers pay a modest fee. Confirming the threemonth extension to his evening and late-night public transport scheme, Mr Ross said that ‘almost all of the evening services will continue to run until March 31’.
He said: ‘Tackling rural isolation and providing the means for people to meet, socialise and attend events is extremely important.
‘I would encourage people to use their Local Links as much as possible so we can continue to provide, and hopefully increase, this very useful service.’
Last week Mr Ross launched a scathing attack on what he calls a Leinster House ‘lunatic fringe’ opposed to tougher drink-driving laws. He has suggested any ministers who criticise the enforcement of the laws are ‘unfit for office’.
Mr Ross was responding to criticism from some rural TDs over tougher drink-driving legislation.
Under the new drink-driving laws, drivers who are found to have between 50mg and 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood are automatically banned from driving for three
‘Most services are performing well’
months and receive a €200 fine.
Before the law came into force, drivers who tested positive for that amount received three penalty points on their licence.
Galway West Fianna Fáil TD Éamon Ó Cuív has called for taxi firms to be given subsidies. ‘What I am proposing is that through the Local Link companies a subsidy be given to service providers on an organised basis to provide local area hackney services in and around rural areas,’ he said.
Martin Heydon, chair of the Fine Gael parliamentary party, has called for an extension of the evening and weekend Local Link services.