Transport for Ireland is delighted to announce new Public Service Obligation (PSO) bus services in Waterford to replace the routes currently operated by Suirway Bus and Coach Services Limited.
In September of 2022, Suirway Bus and Coach Services Limited informed the Authority that they intended to cease operating their local bus services in County Waterford. These routes, the 608, 609, 610 and 611, will run for the last time on the 31st October 2022.
The Authority immediately began an examination to evaluate whether a Public Service Obligation (PSO) exists for the areas impacted by the withdrawal of Suirway. The result of the examination is that the Authority has determined that there is a PSO to serve local transport demand from Portlaw, Dunmore East and Passage East into Waterford City.
Acting on this determination, the Authority has arranged to secure provision of replacement bus services to serve the areas affected on and from the day of the planned withdrawal by Suirway. On 01 November 2022, replacement services will be provided between Portlaw, Passage East and Dunmore East and Waterford City through a combination of services operated by Bus Éireann (on a temporary basis until a procurement process takes place) and TFI Local Link operators.
It is likely that there will be some minor adjustments to times in comparison to the service in operation today, so passengers are advised to consult Bus Éireann and TFI Local Link Waterford websites as the transition date approaches, to learn the scheduled times that buses will serve their stop.
The Authority intends to expand coverage of these new public transport services to also serve Carrick-on-Suir and Cheekpoint, and these expanded services will be introduced when additional resources become available.
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said: “It is a very welcome development that it has been possible to identify replacement PSO services for the people of Dunmore, Portlaw and Passage East which will commence at the start of November. I am delighted that due to the speed with which the new service will be launched, there will be no loss of connectivity to the people of east Waterford arising from the withdrawal of commercial services in the region.”
Anne Graham, CEO of the National Transport Authority said “The National Transport Authority was happy to examine the areas affected by the withdrawal of the Suirway services and determine that there is a PSO to serve the local transport demand. The Authority is delighted to announce the provision of replacement bus services to cater to the areas of Portlaw, Dunmore East and Passage East. It is of the utmost importance to the NTA that customers are not left without local connections by public transport.”
