Galway Bay FM Newsroom - A Galway West TD has hit out at calls to privatise the Gort to Galway bus route.
Sinn Fein Deputy Mairead Farrell is calling for Bus Éireann to reinstate the Route 51 evening service and says privatising the service should be avoided at all costs.
It comes as in May Bus Éireann announced it was suspending the Expressway service between Galway and Cork - leaving bus commuters in parts of south Galway with no public bus service after five past five in the evening.
Meanwhile, this week Minister of State and Galway East TD Anne Rabbitte received confirmation from the NTA that it would assess all bids from commercial bus operators who wish to takeover the route.
Minister Rabbitte has urged private companies to submit proposals to the Transport body for the benefit of commuters in the region.
Deputy Mairead Farrell argues Bus Éireann jumped the gun by cancelling the route as demand for the service will increase in the coming weeks and months.
She says the national bus operator should restore the service as soon as possible:
