BUS ÉIREANN plans to double the frequency of its 220 service between Ballincollig and Carrigaline this summer.

The transport company announced 200 new jobs nationwide and said a quarter of them will be based in the Cork area. The majority will be for drivers with a small number of mechanic positions.

The 220 service covers a busy route from Carrigaline to Ballincollig via high-population areas including the Model Farm Road, the city centre, Douglas Road, Maryborough Hill and Crosshaven.

“It will be an expansion of our existing services,” Nicole Cooke of Bus Éireann said. “The National Transport Authority can clearly see the demand that is needed on the busy services and the 220 is one of the big ones. The aim is to get the frequency of the 220 from every 30 minutes to every 15 minutes and hopefully that will occur during the summer. We would like to let things bed down in July/August before big demand hits again in September.”

Bus Éireann estimates an additional dozen or more drivers will be needed to increase the capacity on that route alone but have further plans around Cork before the end of the year.

It would also like to increase services on the 223 route which covers Monkstown and Ringaskiddy and extends as far as the Haulbowline naval base. There are plans to expand the frequency of service and hours of the 226 which services Cork airport and on out as far as Kinsale.

There are also plans down the line to increase frequency in the west Cork network.

Bus Éireann is willing to accept applications from people who do not currently have a bus licence as they are willing to provide training. They will consider people who currently hold a standard B and/or C licence to operate a private car and/or trucks.

“We will consider training people, which is a new departure,” Ms Cooke said. “This is a big call for staff. We are also going out to mainland Europe looking for staff.”

Full details and the application process can be found at http://www.buseireann.ie.