First step to be taken on €200m plan to improve Cork's bus service

Tendering is expected to commence next month for the appointment of design teams to progress the initial blueprints for BusConnects Cork.

€200 million has been allocated under the National Development Plan for the project.

The strategy aims to adopt a number of measures, including an enhanced bus network that consists of 200km of cross-city routes along with 220 new double decker vehicles.

Meanwhile, a design team is set to be chosen shortly to examine route options for a proposed Luas line in Cork.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) has confirmed to The Echo that tendering commenced earlier this month for the design team to examine route options for a light rail from the east side of the city to the west.

The proposed Luas line will run from Ballincollig to Mahon.

It comes as Cork Chamber have called for the commitment to the implementation of the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS).

CMATS is the transport framework that has been prepared and adopted to guide Cork’s transport development and to support the city’s growth over the next two decades.

A spokesperson for the NTA told The Echo: “The proposals for more sustainable transport options, and for a greatly enhanced public transport network of bus, commuter train and light rail services, still remain fully valid and necessary to allow the city to grow in line with the ambitions set out in Project 2040, the National Planning Framework.

“The NTA remains fully committed to the delivery of the overall CMATS plans.

“Funding for the delivery of elements of CMATS has been included in the National Development Plan 2018-2027, even prior to the completion of CMATS, and those projects are being progressed in line with that allocated funding.”