Local Fianna Fáil TD Jim O’Callaghan has released a statement, calling for the recent changes to the Aircoach route through Dublin 4 to be overturned.
He has declared the company’s decision to no longer service the stops at Sean Moore Road and Strand Road “disappointing” and encourages every effort to be made to ensure that they are retained.
The statement can be read in full below:
“I have been contacted by residents of Sandymount and Irishtown, who are extremely concerned at the company’s decision to remove a number of scheduled stops in the area.
This service has been invaluable to our community and has provided an affordable and reliable transport link between South Dublin and the airport for many years.
Some local residents in Ringsend and Irishtown regularly use this bus route very early in the morning and arrive back on it late at night to facilitate work commitments abroad and it provides a safe and convenient service.
By introducing these changes, residents will be forced to access the service from stops much further away, which for some will not be possible. Furthermore, Aircoach is the only service that is available through the night without locals having to resort to expensive taxis or excessive airport parking costs.
There have been suggestions that this decision may be linked with toll charges or traffic concerns but if this is the case, I strongly encourage the company to examine an alternative route which would serve residents in the Irishtown area.
I have written to management in Aircoach to request that they reconsider these changes and provide an explanation as to why these changes are being made. I hope a reasonable solution can be reached.”
By Kevin Carney
