New local link service from Athlone to Loughrea to commence next week

A new Local Link bus service from Athlone to Loughrea is set to start from Monday, July 14.

There are a total of 17 stops on the service from Athlone to Ballinasloe, with seven further stops to Loughrea.

Stop from Athlone to Ballinasloe include: Athlone Station, Northgate Street, Luan Gallery, lona Park, Annesfield Woods, Bellough, Orwell Grove, Summerhill, Kielty, Cornafulla, Clonark, Thomastown Demense, Ballydangan, Glentaun, Creagh, Ballinasloe, and Ballinasloe Station.

A local community group campaigning for the introduction of a local bus service between Athlone and Ballinasloe was established in Moore last year, and a community survey was also carried out on the issue.

Speaking upon its establishment, campaigner Sean O'Rourke said that the area did have an excellent bus service in the nineties and early noughties, but it had since diminished.

"We want more of a local service to get to key areas in the key towns. We're not expecting a bus to bring us to Dublin or Galway, we just want a link to the local health centres, to get to work, to get to TUS," Sean added.