Lack of late night taxis in west Mayo town a safety concern

WESTPORT needs more taxis, the monthly meeting of the Westport-Belmullet Municipal meeting heard on Monday.

Cllr Brendan Mulroy called for a meeting with transport authorities and An Garda Síochána to address growing concerns about taxi provision in Westport, as the town prepares for a significant increase in visitor numbers over the coming years.

The move comes as councillors warned that inadequate late-night transport could compromise public safety and undermine the town’s thriving nightlife economy.

Cllr Brendan Mulroy told the meeting that transportation queries dominated his election canvassing, with residents across the area expressing frustration about getting to and from Westport for nights out.

“The highest percentage of queries I got ahead of the last election was we need to get in and out of Westport for nightlife,” Cllr Mulroy said. “It’s vitally important, particularly for young girls who are coming in from Westport, from Louisburgh, from Newport, from anywhere. When the nightclub finishes or the disco finishes, they’re able to get a taxi to the place where they’re going. Otherwise, we’re selling ourselves short.”

The councillor highlighted two major developments that will significantly increase demand for taxis in the coming months. The expansion of Westport House, reportedly ahead of schedule, combined with the upcoming Galway-Westport train service, are expected to bring substantially more visitors to the town.

“We as a council need to have the infrastructure base to ensure that the taxis are there,” Cllr Mulroy said. “If we can lead the conversation on that to make sure people can go out, enjoy themselves, but also go home safely.”

READ: Mayo Sculptor shortlisted for high-profile public art projects

Cllr John O’Malley echoed these safety concerns, warning about the dangers of large crowds waiting for limited taxis late at night.

“There’s no sense in people coming out of a public night or out of a disco or out of anything else, any other kind of social area, and having no taxis bring them home. That breeds trouble, and it will,” Cllr O’Malley said. “It’s only take somebody to look at somebody’s girlfriend, and the next thing there’s trouble.”

Cllr O’Malley called for more taxis to prevent congestion and crowd-related incidents, particularly during weekend peak hours.

Both councillors emphasised that existing taxi and hackney services must be safeguarded as part of any solution. The agreed meeting will include discussions with taxi and Uber drivers to understand current challenges and explore ways to expand capacity while protecting established operators.

The council’s decision to convene a multi-stakeholder meeting represents an acknowledgement that Westport’s growing popularity as a tourist destination requires coordinated planning to ensure adequate transport infrastructure.

With the expansion of Westport House and the new rail connection on the horizon, councillors described the situation as “a great problem to have” but one requiring immediate action to prevent safety issues and maintain the town’s reputation as a premier destination for nightlife and tourism.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme