Mayo Senator demands progress on new Ballina service to Knock Airport

Senator Mark Duffy has called on the National Transport Authority (NTA) to deliver on commitments to roll out a dedicated bus service that would provide a direct connection between Ballina and Knock Airport.

Senator Duffy said: “Following repeated calls for better connectivity between Ballina and the airport, I engaged with the NTA, and a solution was unveiled involving a new service that would begin in Ballina, travelling through Foxford and Swinford to Charlestown, where passengers could transfer onto the dedicated airport shuttle. “From there, the route would continue to the airport, on to Kiltimagh and finish in Castlebar, creating a new public transport link to the region’s international airport.

“The proposed service had the twin benefits of improving connectivity for north Mayo to the airport while also offering a regular service running between Charlestown and Castlebar, scheduled to run six times daily.

“At a robust meeting of Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport I pushed hard for the NTA to ask for funding for what is a critical service that would open up the north and east of the county. To date there has been no progress made on that new service and my constituents remain without a public transport connection to their local airport.

“I am calling on the NTA to follow through on their commitment, to ensure that proper funding is put in place and to roll out this service as a matter of urgency. The people of the region are entitled to a regular, reliable connection to their local airport and the solution that has been on the table for months needs to be put into action.”