Published: Wednesday, 1st September, 2010 5:15pm

Bus Eireann service is halved in Moate

Moate residents have seen the frequency of the town's Bus Éireann service halved in recent weeks.

The move has led to reports that the company's buses which serve the town are now more crowded than before, with some passengers unable to board at Moate on occasion because their bus is full.

The bus service from Moate to Athlone/Galway and Dublin had operated on an hourly basis until August 15 last.

Since that date buses to and from Moate have been operating bi-hourly, with every second Bus Éireann coach between Athlone and Dublin travelling via the M6 motorway and bypassing towns such as Moate, Kilbeggan and Kinnegad.

One local resident who frequently uses the Bus Éireann service to get to Athlone said the change meant he now had less flexibility when using the bus than he did previously.

"At times there's an issue with people not being able to get the bus because it can be quite full when it gets into Moate.

If that happens, people are then forced to wait around at a bus stop where there's no shelter if it's raining," said Alan Murphy, who lives in Moate and works in Athlone.

"I'm not thinking about myself when I say this, because I'm young and I have other ways I can get to Athlone, but there are some people who use the bus who are elderly or have special needs.

Often the bus might be pulling away before they've even had a chance to get to their seat.

"I'm not bashing the Bus Éireann service completely, because the buses are good and many of the drivers are accommodating, but there are times when they could be a bit more considerate towards the elderly and those with special needs."

Mr Murphy pointed out that the impact of the reduction in the Bus Éireann service to and from Moate was lessened by the Flagline shuttle bus service, which operates four times a day between Athlone and Moate and serves areas such as Baylin and Mount Temple.

He felt the Bus Éireann service could be reorganised to place a greater emphasis on journeys that are shorter and more frequent.

"It would help if they had a shuttle bus running between Kinnegad and Athlone, picking up passengers in each town along the way," he commented.

Moate councillor Joe Whelan described the reduction to the bus frequency in the town as "regrettable" and said he'd received representations from people who were working in Athlone and were inconvenienced by the recent change to the service.

"This is an issue in particular for people who are on shift work.

They would have used this bus service and had their independence in the past, but they're now a lot more dependent on people giving them lifts in cars," said Cllr Whelan.

Moate's Fianna Fail councillor, Tom Allen, said Bus Éireann could have done a better job of publicising its changes to the town's service.

"I was talking to one group of people who went up to Dublin on the bus and when they were coming back they didn't realise that the bus they were on was going straight to Athlone and wasn't stopping at Moate.

They then had to arrange for somebody to go to Athlone and pick them up," said Cllr Allen.

"I think people are confused by it at the moment. Bus Éireann need to get the finger out and make it clear to people what the bus times are and where each bus will be stopping."

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