UPDATE: Public bus service for Portlaoise town in Laois

Laois County Council has given an update on the plan to launch an electric public bus service in Portlaoise.

The rapidly expanding town is in line to get a new internal bus service as part of its status as a pilot Low Carbon Town, with the preferred option to be an electric bus network.

The traffic is now "unreal" with delays that are unheard of according to Portlaoise Municipal District Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald, Fianna Fáil.

She asked for the update on when residents can expect to catch a bus into town.

"Traffic in Portlaoise is unreal, it's bumper to bumper. I don't know how we are going to progress the bus service but it's badly needed. 

"I was on the Timahoe Road for 30 minutes, would you have believed that years ago? A bus service is needed as soon as we can get it," she commented.

The council's Director of Services for Roads and for Portlaoise is Simon Walton.

"It is a long sought after service. We are in regular contact with the National Transport Agency. Carlow and another town are their priorities. Portlaoise is next up for delivery then.

"All the stop locations have been agreed and they are all designed. It is a separate package to deliver the stops and then to tender for the bus service. The NTA have indicated to us that both will progress over 2024," Mr Walton said.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley, Sinn Féin agreed with Cllr Fitzgerald. 

"Only in recent weeks people came to me to ask about it. It is six or seven years since we had a committee meeting on transport. We were told they hoped to hit the ground running in two to three years max. I have no doubt there is work going on behind the scenes on bus stops.

"One family newly moved in over a year ago, on the proviso there would be a local bus. We need an update. It seems to be dragging on forever," she said.

Portlaoise got another boost to its public transport facilities recently when Laois County Council opened a 92 space bus and carpark next to the town's busy commuter train station.  Portlaoise Tidy Towns also launched a Biodiversity Plan for the town earlier this year. 

Laois has also got its own Climate Action Plan for the first time, with a draft launched recently including a special section on Portlaoise which will be the county's Decarbonising Zone, bringing in cash for more changes.

The town which grew by a third since 2006 up to nearly 24,000 residents, is expected to hit 30,000 by 2040, and the zoning will further “propel Portlaoise towards a future that is resilient, green, and prosperous”.

Portlaoise emits 146,000 tons of carbon dioxide into the air per annum. Transport accounts for almost 60,000 of that, residential 39,000, commercial and public sector 38,200, agriculture 5,300 and industrial and waste 3,000 each.

More actions will be taken to encourage people out of cars to use public transport or walk and cycle. A District Heating study will also be carried out.