Achill pilot project to 'transform' future of Mayo rural transport

A NEW rural transport service which will be piloted in Achill over the next 12 months will transform how rural communities access public transport.

Minister Dara Calleary travelled to Achill this morning to officially launch Ireland's first ever Smart Demand-Responsive Transport (DRT) pilot which begins service tomorrow, July 15 to cover the whole parish.

The 12-month pilot initiative, which is part of the National Transport Authority (NTA) Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan, will deliver a flexible, technology-enabled public transport service designed to provide more frequent, reliable public transport options to members of the local community.

The service will be operated by TFI Local Link Mayo and passengers will be able to book on-demand rides seven days a week using a new 'TFI Anseo' app and be dropped off anywhere within the region.

Speaking to The Mayo News at the launch in Óstán Oileán Acla, Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary said that the new service will give people living in rural communities without transport of their own the independence to leave their homes on a regular basis.

Huge potential

“It is a really important initiative and from a point of view of rural isolation it will give people an option to get out of their houses during the day seven days a week, to get to the shops or medical appointments and just go out and meet people.

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“There is huge potential here and this is what the pilot is about; to work it for the year and see what we can do with it on a long term basis.

“It will be aimed at everybody but particularly at people who may be isolated in houses and who otherwise will be depending on other people to get to collect with a car.

“It will open the county to people who would be isolated otherwise who have to depend on someone else for transport and build their lives around someone else's availability. Now with the app you can work it to ensure it suits your timetable as opposed to trying to fit in with someone else's.

“You can book it to get you to a bus that might be going into Castlebar or Westport or going to Galway to get to a medical appointment. It will be aimed at everybody but in particular I would hope that older people who don't have a car will be able to use it,” he said.

People using the service can book a bus two hours in advance using the TFI Anseo app with two TFI Anseo buses in operation around the parish available to take them to any part of Achill Island or Currane as far as Mulranny. The daily service will initially be in operation from 9am to 5pm but there are plans to extend the hours of operation to 11pm.

Confident

Michael O'Haire of Local Link Mayo who will be operating the bus service said that a more regular transport service is what areas like Achill requires and is confident it will be a success.

“We have been working in Achill for the last ten years and there is a huge demand in Achill for a more frequent service and door to door service. We will be able to collect people who live in Achill all the time as well as visitors to Achill and will make the whole island accessible and open up the whole island. It is a massive service and we are very excited about it,” he told The Mayo News.

Declan Turnbull, Chairperson, TFI Local Link Mayo; Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD; Dominic Hannigan, Head of Public Transport Regulation, NTA and Sarah Togher, TFI Local Link Mayo. Pic: Conor McKeown

Sarah Togher, the Local Link Mayo General Manager, explained that the existing Local Link services in Mayo have experienced a 7 percent increase in passenger numbers over the last 12 months and they are excited to launch this new project.

“We are extremely excited because we know from working with groups and the business community on the ground in Achill there is a huge interest. They have identified the transport barriers preventing people accessing service so it will be hugely welcomed. The feedback throughout the island has been really positive and we are confident there will be the demand.

“People can book up to two hours before and people will be picked up along the route and we will bring them to where they want to go. There will be single journeys but as it gets more popular you would imagine there will be multiple people sharing transport to and from different parts of the island.

“We are delighted to partner with the NTA on the TFI Anseo pilot initiative, which reflects our ongoing commitment to tackling rural social exclusion through innovation and accessible transport solutions. Being chosen as the first rural area to pilot this technology driven service is a proud milestone for TFI Local Link Mayo, and we're confident it will make a real and lasting difference to mobility and connectivity for the people of Achill,” she said.

Feedback

Minister Calleary also echoed the call by the NTA to encourage residents to try the service during the pilot phase and provide feedback to help shape the future of rural mobility. The Ballina-based TD said that the project has the support of the Minister of Transport, Darragh O'Brien and he is confident it will be rolled out to other areas across the county.

“I think it can work right across the county and the country. Darragh O'Brien, the Minister of Transport is very committed to it and as Minister of Rural and Community I think it is really important.

“If you don't use it in the course of the pilot we won't be able to expand it. I want to see it used and I know Darragh O'Brien wants to see it used, I know Sarah [Togher] in the Local Link team in Mayo wants to see it used. When it's used we will be able to learn from the pilot and learn what we will need to do better and expand it around the country based on the Achill and the Currane experience.”