9 August 2018
By Mary Bermingham
mary@TheCork.ie
Reduced fares and enhanced Park & Ride to mark re-introduction of Patrick St bus priority
Bus Éireann and Transport for Ireland (TFI) will introduce new promotional fares tomorrow, to mark the re-introduction of bus priority measures in St. Patrick Street, Cork.
Adults using a Leap Card in the extended Red Zone – including Carrigaline, Crosshaven, Bishopstown and Ringaskiddy – can travel from 2pm daily until the end of each service for only €1 per trip. The cost is just 50 cent for child – up to 19 years old – on the Child Leap Card. The promotion will run for almost six weeks inclusive from Thursday, August 9th to Saturday, September 15th to incentivise travel by bus to and from the city. More information on Leap Card is available at www.leapcard.ie and www.buseireann.ie/LeapCork
Passengers parking at the Black Ash Park & Ride can also benefit from an improved service, which will now operate from 7am to 8pm Monday to Saturday, with a 10 minute bus frequency during peak hours of 7-9.30am and 4pm-7pm. The route commences at Black Ash and now travels via the South Link Road stopping at Eglinton St, Merchant’s Quay (via Parnell Place), St. Patrick Street, Grand Parade, South Mall and Anglesea St. The enhanced service will no longer stop at/serve Lapps Quay or Albert St.
File photo: Showing Bus Eireann’s modern (2016) fleet of busses and the Red Setter mascot. Picture: Maxwells
Passengers who park cars (and up to four companions) and board at the Black Ash Park & Ride, just pay for car parking and present the ticket to the bus driver. This ticket ensures return transport to and from Cork city centre without further payment. Foot passengers can also board the bus at the various stops. These passengers can also avail of the promotional Leap Card fares – as applied to other Bus Éireann services – until September 15th next.
Bus Éireann Operations Manager South, Martin Walsh said the company welcomed the re-introduction of public transport priority on St. Patrick Street and special promotional fares:
“The bus priority measures on Patrick Street reduced some of our journey times significantly, so the return of this measure is helpful in terms of combating traffic congestion.
With promotional fares with your Leap Card of €1 per adult and 50c per child, to travel around the city for most of the day, we would say to people ‘try the bus and see the benefits’.”
