More Laois TownLink buses wanted to suit working day
Last bus leaves Portlaoise at 5.10pm for Ballyroan
The TownLink bus service in Laois is to be asked to add more buses from Portlaoise at the end of the working day.
Portlaoise Municipal District Cllr John Joe Fennelly, Fianna Fáil, made the request on behalf of voters he met while canvassing for the upcoming local elections.
He said people cannot go to work in Portlaoise because the last weekday bus leaves town before the working day is through.
He tabled a motion to the May meeting of the district, asking Laois County Council to contact Townlink to add a later bus route.
"The last bus leaves Portlaoise at 5.10pm. This came up on the doors. A person had a little job in Portlaoise but no way of travelling.
"This could be the same into Abbeyleix or anywhere else," he said.
The bus route leaving Portlaoise at 5.10pm serves Ballyroan, Abbeyleix, Ballinakill, Durrow, Ballacolla, Rathdowney, Borris-in-Ossory, Castletown and Mountrath, arriving back in Portlaoise at 7pm.
Laois County Council agreed to request the Townlink service to add the later route.
Cllr Barry Walsh meanwhile who seconded the motion, repeated a previous request to have the bus make an extra stop in Ballyroan, at the Sue Ryder retirement village for older people.
"I asked and I never got an answer. Some people there are not very mobile. They would probably get out and about into town more if they could," he said.