CLASP new six day a week bus service from Gurteen/Ballymote to Sligo

IT IS with great anticipation and excitement we announce the start of this new rural transport bus route servicing the communities of East Sligo. The service has been designed to get people into Sligo town for work and college for 9.00am and leaving Sligo in the evening at 5.30pm.

CLASP will also run a mid morning service on a Tuesday, Friday and Saturday.

CLASP was established in 1997 and set up by local people to combat the decline in population in the town lands and villages of Lough Arrow. The project set out to achieve this goal by focusing on the needs of older people living in the community and tr ying to develop services for them that would allow them to remain in their own homes and continue to contribute to local community and services. CLASP secured a rural transport project in 2003 and this new service immediately impacted in a positive way the lives of older people in the region allowing them the choice and independence to access health service appointments, social outings and active age clubs.

The transport service has grown significantly in the last 10 years with the assistance of the National Transport Authority and our strong membership of 400 people who use our services on regular bases.

The support from our strong membership and their extended families has enabled us to invest in own bus fleet and it is with great pride we have managed introduce three new minibuses over the last number of years. We are excited about this new departure in servicing the general public and we intend to offer a professional and quality service to our new customers.

We would like to thank Margaret Malone Rural Transport manager with the National Transport Authority for her support and Local Link in Carrick on shannon for all their assistance in getting the new route up and running. We would also like to thank POPAL Dormant Account for their funding contribution toward a new minibus, our many partners listed in the advertisements who ensure all our fleet are kept on the road at all times.

The Board of Directors of CLASP would also like to pay special thanks to our main funders the HSE, Department of Social Protection, NTA and the ongoing support from County Sligo Leader Partnership Company which will hopefully enable us to continue to provide community led services long into the future. Finally we acknowledge the contribution made by our loyal staff who ensure CLASP is always respected and appreciated in communities we serve.