Fears that Expressway routes operated by Bus Eireann would soon be stopped has prompted the company’s CEO to speak out in an effort to calm staff and customers.
Bus Éireann acting chief executive Ray Hernan said that Expressway services will not be cut by Bus Eireann, despite recommendations that this step would be the main way to save the company from going insolvent.
Hernan said that decisive actions need to be taken to reverse losses. “Expressway will continue to be a part of Bus Éireann, and that the challenges to make it more competitive will only be resolved within the overall company structure,” he said.
A consultants’ report was published yesterday with recommendations on how to save money at the loss-making transport service. Independent advisors Grant Thornton recommended that the Expressway service be shut down. To cut out the routes would mean up to 500 redundancies and large severance packages.
Major restructuring of the Expressway service was recommended if the option to cancel it completely was not carried out.
Other measures that were recommended include taking steps to make more profit from school runs and public service routes, cutting other routes and seeking more state funding.
The Donegal-based routes were not listed as unprofitable. The Route 32 Expressway service runs from Letterkenny to Dublin Airport and City Centre. Route 30 links Donegal Town to Dublin, while Route 64 brings passengers from Donegal to Galway.
Tim Gaston, NTA Director of Public Transport Services has said that 19% of Bus Eireann customers travel via the Expressway services.
The travel company faces many cutbacks in the coming year, and its 2,600 employees received a letter to warn them of the perilous situation the company faces.
Staff at Bus Eireann have been told that its losses for 2016 are now estimated at €8m. Mr Hernan said that change is required across the entire company to ensure it can compete in an increasingly competitive marketplace, which is more customer focused.
Tags:
