SUSTAINABILITY Shuttling between Castlebar and Westport

Shuttle between Castlebar and Westport for free


Edwin McGreal

In a bid to promote sustainable transport, Mayo-based sustainable transport group Iompar Mhaigh Eo are trying out a free shuttle bus between Castlebar and Westport. The pilot scheme, which the organisers hope will be adopted on a permanent basis, will run for at least two weeks in June.
The shuttle buses will travel between the two towns at peak times from Monday to Friday, two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening. The plan is to offer a door-to-door service for many passangers, as they will stop at most of the major employment centres, such as Allergan, Mayo General Hospital, GMIT and Baxter.
“We want to entice as many people as possible out of cars. Mayo County Council figures show that 6,000 cars do that journey daily, so we think it makes perfect sense to look at more sustainable ways of travelling between the towns,” explained Iompar Mhaigh Eo spokesperson Andy Wilson. “It is a free service, and we’re hoping that it will be successful enough to survive as a commercial venture in the long term. We are currently seeking tenders from bus companies for the service and are actively seeking expressions of interest.”
While some of the finer detail has yet to be tied down, it is expected that the pilot service  – which is part funded by the Department of Transport – will run for at least the second and third weeks of June and possibly for longer. Westport and Castlebar Town Councils have both indicated that they are interested in backing the project too.
Anyone looking for more details on this sustainability initiative can contact Andy Wilson on 087 6714075.