'Not a convenience but a necessity' - fallout from axing of Route 4 bus from Waterford to Dublin
The Expressway Route 4 was cancelled two months ago.
In May this year, Bus Éireann took away the Route 4 Expressway that connected the South East region, including Waterford, to the capital, forcing Waterford people, and those along the route, onto privately operated buses or already crowded trains.
A reader named Irena wrote into the Waterford News & Star to express how the cancellation of the service has disrupted her everyday life. Irena lives in Carlow and depended on the Route 4 Expressway to get to and from work in Dublin.
She wrote: "This decision has had a major and immediate impact on my ability to travel to work. For the past nine years, I have relied consistently on this service to commute from Carlow to Dublin. It was not a convenience but a necessity, particularly the 21:10 Sunday service, for which there is no realistic alternative available. Neither rail services nor the JJ Kavanagh coach provides an available replacement for my weekly commuting requirements. As a direct result of this bus service withdrawal, I am now facing significant and ongoing disruption to my ability to maintain reliable transport to work."
Irena wants to see the service restored to the South East. She stated: "In its current form, it removes a critical transport link for regular commuters without providing a workable alternative. Rail services are not facilitating my travel requirements departure timewise and are already operating at or near full capacity during peak commuting times, and with continued population growth over the past decade, shifting additional passengers onto rail will inevitably result in overcrowding and reduced accessibility."
Taking the train to work hasn't helped, as Irena has seen scores of people sitting on the floor of cramped carriages. Navigating luggage among travellers standing in aisles is a common problem: "When I come to take my seat and put away my luggage there is nowhere for people to pass by as all the side floor area is taken up with people sitting on the floor."
Irena has gone above and beyond in contacting local authorities, politicians and government offices about reconsidering the decision to pull the service.
Irena has written to various representatives: "This issue is not a matter of preference but of essential public transport provision. I would like to ask you to escalate this issue to reconsider the withdrawal of this service and to ensure that a suitable alternative is put in place to maintain adequate connectivity between Waterford, Carlow and Dublin."
Some have replied to her query and have promised to contact the Department of Transport. However, she fears that government promises about improving public transport is only "lip service".
