Bus service to Athlone College from Tullamore discontinued

A Tullamore bus company which has been providing a bus service for students from Tullamore, Clara and Moate, attending Athlone College has announced that it will not be in a position to provide the service this year.

In an announcement Carroll's Coaches Ltd said ''Unfortunately we cannot continue the service to Athlone college this year from Tullamore due to staff shortages. We have been unable to recruit drivers and we do apologise for any inconvenience.''

The coach company said they had been searching for extra drivers for years to no avail.

''It seems to be a problem all over the country in every company. It wasn't an easy decision for us to make as we have been going to Athlone for 49 years. This would have been our 50th year,'' a spokesperson said.

As an alternative students could avail of the 6.50am train from Tullamore to Athlone calling at Clara, however, Athlone train station is quite a distance from the college.

They can however, take either the A1or the 72 Bus Eireann busses which are available outside Athlone train station. Or they could take the 850 Local Link bus which also picks up passengers outside Athlone Station and lets them off at Athlone College.