'Disappointed' no extra busstops planned on Portlaoise Town Service

A promise to consider adding more bus stops to the instantly popular Portlaoise town bus service, has not been fulfilled yet, with local "disappointment".

The National Transport Authority is being urged to respond to local Portlaoise demand by would be passengers who want the bus to serve their road.

The bus service was launched in February 2025, and recently hit a quarter of a million passengers, adding an eco friendly element by taking some cars off the roads. The green and yellow City Direct buses stop at 21 stops around Portlaoise every half hour from 5am to midnight, connecting homes on the outskirts of the growing Laois county town.  However since day one at the launch, councillors have been asking for extensions to the bus routes. 

Fianna Fáil Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald says while it is "fantastic" she is disappointed,

She tabled a motion to the February meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District.

"The bus service is fantastic. It's been a huge addition to the town, it is helping traffic. But we were told at the time that there would be additional bus routes. The main area I'm talking about is the Abbeyleix Road but we have the Ridge Road and the Ballyfin Road. The last stop is Woodgrove on the Ballyfin Road. 

"On the Abbeyleix Road, we have O'Moore Park, SuperValu, the rugby club, J17 National Enterprise Park, we've young people working in the Plaza. People want to go out and visit the plaza and the rugby club, there are new housing estates going up and there's elderly on the road.

I am disappointed at the response because I don't see a positive response. It seems to me like 'ye have what ye have' and there doesn't seem like there's going to be much engagement. 

"People who can't use the service are disappointed, because it is such a success. I think it's really serious. Could we send a delegation to the National Transport Authority? We can't keep kicking this down the road. I keep getting asked by people in the town 'when's it going to be on our road'. 

"A commitment was given to us," agreed Cllr John Joe Fennelly.

VIDEO: launch of the Portlaoise Town Bus Service in February 2025.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley supports the motion.

"It has been one of the great successes but it was an awful pity they never brought the route down the Ballyfin Road. The only concern I would have if a bus was driving down the Ballyfin road is when they get to the junction, all the more reason why we need to get these roundabouts on the Mountmellick Road," she said.

Cllr Tommy Mulligan said "I definitely think there will be a need for extra routes in years to come". He wants a bus to serve Aghnaharna and Summerhill school districts too. 

Thumbs up in February 2025 by Cllr Paddy Buggy, Cathaoirleach - Portlaoise MD, Cllr Tommy Mulligan, Laois County Council, Simon Walton, Director of Services: Infrastructure, Recreation, Emergency Services & Special Projects, Laois County Council, Cllr Padraig Fleming, Cathaoirleach, Laois County Council, Brian Stanley, TD, Cllr Marie Tuohy, Laois County Council, John Nott, Head of Public Transport Services Planning, National Transport Authority, Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley, Laois County Council, Paul McLoughlin, Senior Engineer, Laois County Council, Darren Coss, Executive Engineer, Laois County Council.

In reply to the motion, Simon Walton director of services said that additional routes are determined by the NTA. He said the council will support the NTA in their provision of additional identified bus routes.

This is what John Knott, head of the planning section of the NTA said at the launch a year ago.

Portlaoise councillors had reminded him at the launch about the need for extra routes on the Abbeyleix road and the new Dunamase College to come in Summerhill.

"This is a five year contract with City Direct. We'll be watching and analysing issues," he had said.

"This only comes about because of the work by Laois County Council, they kept it on the agenda, politely twisting my arm for funding. For a town the scale of Portlaoise we did not want to do a piecemeal job. This is a real alternative to the car. It's 18 hours a day, seven days a week, with the best of infrastructure. That is what was needed for a town the size of Portlaoise," Mr Knott had said.

Laois County Council launched the City Direct service in February 2025, with the cost and running cost paid by the National Transport Authority (NTA). It cost €1.5m to set up and was expected to cost €1.6m a year to run, with 27 drivers employed.