Minister Joe O’Brien Welcomes TFI Local Link Services reaching 100,000 uses per week

Journey numbers have reached a record high, with people now using TFI Local Link bus services more than a 100,000 times a week across rural Ireland

The Minister welcomes the announcement, saying: “The Local Link Services are a key pillar of the transport plan to connect rural communities and provide an essential service to these towns. The uptake in passenger number shows that there is a demand public transport in rural towns and people want choice in how move around”

There were 105,986 passenger journeys on TFI Local Link services in week ending 13 October, 2024. This represents a more-than four-fold increase compared to January 2022 when weekly numbers were at 19,982.

Passenger journey numbers have been increasing consistently for over three years now. The weekly national average was 16,745 in 2021; 36,664 in 2022; and 78,892 in 2023. Now it has surged to 100,000 – a new high.

This dramatic increase in numbers coincides with the rollout of NTA’s Connecting Ireland – Rural Transport Programme, from January 2022. Since then, over 110 new and enhanced TFI Local Link routes have been introduced under the programme, covering every county.

2024 is the third year of a five-year implementation programme for Connecting Ireland. Some 60 per cent of the proposed services are now in place with the remainder to be introduced in the coming years.

The new and enhanced services are proving to be very attractive to a new set of customers in rural Ireland who are choosing TFI Local Link to get to work, education, healthcare, and social activities.

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan also acknowledged the milestone and the efforts behind the scenes, stating:

“We have seen a transformation in public transport across rural Ireland and going by the numbers, people really like it. Reaching this milestone of 100,000 passengers a week is incredible but I’d like to think of it as just the beginning. We need to have buses cris-crossing this country and reaching into towns and villages everywhere. This is only the beginning.”

“I want to extend my thanks to the Local Link offices, operators, and passengers who have made this achievement possible. The exponential growth we’re seeing – up four or five fold in just four years in many places - highlights the importance of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan in delivering improved access and inclusion for rural Ireland. We are building not just a better-connected Ireland, but a more sustainable, equitable, and vibrant one—thanks to the hard work of everyone involved.”