Max HeyraudA new late-night transport initiative aimed at revitalising rural nightlife and improving public safety has been announced by Patrick O’Donovan, Minister for the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.
“The One @ One” pilot scheme will introduce 1 am bus services across three rural towns: Sligo, Buncrana and Longford during key weekends throughout the year, including the May, June, August and October Bank Holidays, as well as Culture Night.
The goal of the project is to address one of the most common problems in rural areas: the lack of safe, reliable transportation at night. Under the Night-Time Economy program, research and consultation showed that transportation is a big problem that keeps people from fully participating in social and cultural events at night.
Minister O’Donovan said that it is often harder for people in rural areas to access nightlife and transport than it is for people in cities. He said that the pilot was an important step toward filling in those gaps by getting local governments and national agencies to work together.
Under the scheme, three specific routes will operate:
- Buncrana – Route 959: Buncrana to Greencastle via Carndonagh
- Sligo – Route 981: Markievicz Road to Rockfield
- Longford – Route 865: Longford Centre to Granard
