New Carlow town bus service

feargantae

I'm glad they've sorted it so that the buses serve the train station!

Hopefully it runs like the Kilkenny one til 11pm and not Athlone which only runs til 9pm

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119647907#Comment_119647907

So no, it's not actually a service yet. Just a plan with a map dated Fen 2021. A delayed plan at that (was supposed to be September 2022).

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119674031#Comment_119674031

Well it’s a bit tricky to launch a service when the buses aren’t available yet.

But I believe that it’s fully funded for a launch next year.

feargantae

Service is now due to start in May some time with 5 busses for the 2 routes, and an operator has been secured, presumably Bus Éireann. Work seems to have also started on some of the bus stops

mikeybhoy

Wonder where the buses will be based if it's BE operated I'm guessing they'll need an outstation down in Carlow. Possibly maintained in either Broadstone or Waterford the latter more likely.

d51984

I wondering weather it will be Bus Eireann operating these new services, I would not be surprised if JJ Kavanagh get its to be honest.

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120274954#Comment_120274954

It’s been awarded to Bus Éireann who will use some of the buses from Athlone that have been displaced by the new electric fleet.

d51984

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120275186#Comment_120275186

Ahh perfect, didn't know they released the operator name. Streetlights from Athlone are a perfect fit for Carlow, We are getting there, nice to see new routes been added all the time. Lets not forget all the new Local links that have been creeping in over the last few months aswell.

feargantae

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120275186#Comment_120275186

Thought as much alright. Presumably that means the service will run until about half 8 each night, just like the A1/A2 in Athlone and not half 11pm like the KK1/KK2 bus operated by CityDirect!

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120276612#Comment_120276612

It will boil down to what the contract that the NTA set requires.

Nothing to do with who operates it.

d51984

I take it the ex Athlone streetlites will be repainted in to the new TFI livery before the big launch.

mikeybhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120276819#Comment_120276819

They should but knowing BEs form when it comes to repainting buses they won't. DB have always repainted buses every 3-4 years for as long as I remember whereas BE do not.

I wonder why this is only DB policy but not CIE as a whole policy or what was the policy prior to the breakup of CIE.

feargantae

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120276689#Comment_120276689

Ah okay, is there any public input on that or do the NTA just decide themselves? Be handy out having a bus runinng late

feargantae

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120276819#Comment_120276819

Hopefully! But even in Athlone they still had the old white/red Bus Éireann busses alongside the new blue/yellow ones so who knows!

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120277363#Comment_120277363

They had one - it was the maintenance backup.

feargantae

Seems to be good progress coming along with the bus stops themselves. They've even done up Bóthar Uí Bhriain with new tarmac and Bus marked on the road.

Here's hoping the May date is still a go!

mikeybhoy

How's the Kilkenny service doing are many using it?

mikeybhoy

Just saw an ad on the BE website advertising for driver vacancies based in Carlow so they must be looking to get this service up and running in the coming months.

feargantae

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120496406#Comment_120496406

Good spot. I see the job posting expires 2/June. Hopefully they're still sticking to the May rollout date!

feargantae

Taken from Facebook.

Update from the NTA regarding the Carlow Town bus service. Its set to be launched in July of this year. There will be 20 shops to purchase leep cards the bus will take cash also the fares will be €0.55 per child and €1.10 per adult per journey. The bus will run for 18 hours per day from 06: 00 am to 00:00 midnight 7 days a week. I am delighted the bus will be operating after making a lot of reps to the NTA and the council. A website will be launched soon. 🇬🇳Travel passes will be accepted.

A July start date is disappointing but 6am to 12am runtime is fantastic! The Athlone town bus, that this seems modelled after only runs from 7am til 8pm!

I asumme aswell that he means €1.10 for Leap and €2 cash.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120530334#Comment_120530334

God damn that's super fkn irritating seeing as I am in Athlone and the only complaint I have about the service is the early finish

Awesome format for Carlow though, delighted for them

Nokia6230i

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120530334#Comment_120530334

Lad I'd wonder same re leap card & cash differences; maybe for first year/two they'll remain same?

1 Euro & Ten Cents to go from MSD to Dolmen Hotel is an absolute bargain.

Still be rumblings both here, the Carlow forum & various comments sections locally about lack of stop servicing train station; I've expressed it before how turnng in right, from Green Lane to up past Scoil Mhuire gan Smal to train station is a tough ask with a car; I'm not even sure such a turn is legal.

12 Shops selling leap cards; Centra, Tesco I presume, Londis, Easons, Circle K, Maxol-Mace; I don't think ALDI or LIDL do them generally? Dunnes of course but I presume not the Euro Giants/Dealz/Mr. Price etc.

Reckon a lot of people were caught out regarding Public Consultation Period back in 2020, possibly due to pandemic, possibly to lack of knowledge re Consult Carlow website for example.

As it happens the Barrack St. social housing plans got green light this past week or so; think only 1 consultation was received & that was from owner/s of Carlow Shopping Centre; most people prefer to complain AFTER the fact.

All maps etc.'re available to view in county council buildings & libraries for free during PCP.

Anyway looking forward to "July"; based on previous start dates, guidelines to times, I won't be holding breath re when in July but this is positive news for the town; just hoping the fuel guzzlers / cyclist & scooter haters can find it useful & maybe swap a car journey for a bus one once in a while; the town is so accessible that the wedded to the car types need to consider if their car journey is really necessary or can it be done using alternative transport including by foot to the bus stops at Askea, on Green Lane etc.

LXFlyer

Fares in Athlone are:

LEAP Card:

Adult - EUR 1.10

Young Adult - EUR 0.55

Child - EUR 0.55

Cash:

Adult - EUR 1.60

Child - EUR 0.90

I'd expect the same structure in Carlow.

p_haugh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120530362#Comment_120530362

Probably won't be available in Tesco, none I've seen have payzone available (or will Carlow be the initial rollout of the Post Point offering of leap cards?)

mikeybhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120530362#Comment_120530362

No Dunnes and Tesco don't do them only smaller shops

Nokia6230i

Routes for CW1 & 2 here & train station IS mentioned along with town park........but no bus park stop (unless in CW1 Route there's a typo.....) & on CW1 "only" as far as Tyndall College & NOT Dolmen Hotel.

Totally understand concerns about some Tullow Rd. estates being somewhat excluded but there's gotta be some give & take & the ideal is to not be more than 450m from a bus stop.

If we keep chopping & changing then the "July" start date will end up being "Yes, July, but which year?".

Interesting reading anyway https://carlow-nationalist.ie/2023/05/09/new-bus-service-to-be-running-by-july/?fbclid=IwAR1PASrlP1r2mg5-iIIlMw14uaOKPSGGe7K2UKimaycyG690p8n5_467SzI

We have to push on with this; make any corrections along the line; this is a learning process & I hope it will be embraced by many; I'll 100% be using both services & regularly.

feargantae

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120576819#Comment_120576819

Route of CW1: MSD, south to Pollerton, Mountain View, Pollerton Road, Sandhills, O’Brien Road, Dublin Road (Green Lane), town centre, Carlow Train Station, Carlow Town Pak,* Hanover Road (Aldi), Kilkenny road (SETU), Tyndall College.

Route of CW2: Wexford Road Business Park, The Orchards, Friar’s Green, Gaelscoil, Idrone Park/Oakley Park, Presentation College, Sandhills, Pollerton Road, town centre, Kennedy Avenue, Maryborough Street, Duggan Avenue, Carlow Town Park, Sleaty Street, Graiguecullen GAA** and Barrow Valley Retail Park.

I think you're right. *There's no way the bus could go from the train station then into Graigue for the park then back up to the town Aldi without a single stop in between?!

**I wonder will that stop be at the GAA or outside Heather Hill/Brotherton like the map showed? Park->Brotherton->Dunnes makes a lot more sense than Park->GAA->Dunnes imo.

Disappointing it won't be electric like they said but that definitely means we're getting the old Athlone A1/A2 stock!

Nokia6230i

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120581602#Comment_120581602

Think some local Cllrs. fixation on EVs has been tempered by fact that the diesel buses will eventually be replaced by EV but we're talking about this at council level from since sometime in 2017 so EV preference has been sacrificed by the sense of urgency to get the services up & running.

Bear in mind the amount of false dawns there've already been based on this thread & the one in the Carlow forum itself; I reckon it's been due to commence on a number of occasions in past 6-9 months alone.

feargantae

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120585937#Comment_120585937

You're right about that! I've already heard 'by mid July' changed to by mid to late July!

Here's feckin' hoping!

LXFlyer

It’ll depend on staff recruitment primarily, I suspect.