Use new rural transport link or you’ll miss the bus

This week’s Mediahuis Irish regional newspapers’ column.

Michael Commane

Two weeks ago in this column I was critical of how Bank of Ireland treated me. The issue has been settled, the bank apologised, offered me redress and has guaranteed that it intends changing its practice in how it deals with complaints and will take a new look at its advertising policy.

On one other point before I get to this week’s issue, I met a young Ukrainian, who fled his country. His two brothers live in Russia, they could easily be called up and the thought that he might be fighting against them forced him to leave Ukraine. The very thought of that.

We all moan and groan from time to time and Government is an easy target.

 

I want to scream from the rooftops, shouting a big thank you to Government for what it is doing with public transport.

On Monday April 17, 1939 the passenger train service between Castlegregory in West Kerry and Tralee closed. Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ) promised to replace the train service with three buses a day. That eventually morphed into one bus a week, which ran on Fridays. Since August Castlegregory has five buses a day. 

And this reality is being replicated across the entire State. Dublin’s bus service is improving by the day as are the services linking towns and cities throughout the country.

It’s up to us now, the citizens, to use these new services whenever we can. It’s time for the moaners and groaners to zip it, get out of the car and jump on the bus and train. 

Of course it is not going to suit everyone and many of the new timetables are experiencing teething issues but the possibilities are endless and it’s important for us to play our part. 

An extra 10-minute walk, having to leave a few minutes earlier is not going to kill anyone. When I think of the man I met from Ukraine I can’t help thinking how easily we can be spoiled.

But for the life of me I cannot fathom how the relevant authorities are not advertising all these new services in a more vigorous manner, indeed, there seems to be no advertising at all. 

Yes, most of the information is available digitally but fortunately there is still a reality outside the digital world. It’s impossible to find a printed timetable of these new services. I have had to phone one of the services to find out where the terminus was.

I have not seen or heard a single ad in a newspaper, on radio or television about the new services. 

And I’m also at a loss to understand the difference between the National Transport Authority (NTA) and Transport for Ireland (TFI). It seems to be some sort of State secret, whereby they don’t want us, the general public to know what both the NTA and the TFI actually do. 

We have heard so much about timetabling problems on Dublin suburban trains. 

There’s more to Ireland than Dublin, and so much of it is great news.