Construction of new bus depot commences as 80 drivers needed for BusConnects

Construction has started on a temporary bus depot in Tivoli as the implementation of the Cork BusConnects will commence in late 2026 or early 2027, but Bus Éireann needs 80 more drivers for phase one, Cork city councillors have been told.

Works have begun on a €10m temporary Bus Éireann depot on the former Tata Steel site in the Tivoli Docks. The development, which has an estimated value of €10m, will be used in place of the current bus depot at Capwell.

Once the buses have relocated, the electrification of the Capwell depot necessary for the BusConnects programme will begin.

Cork City Council granted permission for a temporary bus depot on the site and adjacent lands in November of 2023, and Bus Éireann told The Echo at the time that on-site works would begin in 2024, and that the depot would be up and running in the first half of 2025.

Senior Bus Éireann staff members including CEO Stephen Kent attended a meeting of Cork City Council’s transport strategic policy group on Tuesday night, where councillors heard that the company currently has 513 drivers, with 80 more needed for phase one of bus connects network route.

They were told that construction had begun on the Tivoli depot, expected to be complete by 2026, with the implementation of the BusConnects Network Redesign to commence later that year or early 2027.

Labour councillor Peter Horgan, chair of the transport SPC, told The Echo they also heard legislative change is needed for camera enforcement, saying: “It was a positive discussion. What is critical now is ensuring we can bring forward as much as possible the new network routes for BusConnects which require additional drivers and depot capacity.

“The NTA confirmed to me that they were looking at 2027 but if we can bring that forward as much as possible to show Cork commuters the new frequencies that would be of massive benefit.

“The biggest issue is the variability of congestion in Cork city and many elements that can address that require legislative change. That needs to be pushed through the Oireachtas swiftly to target those road users who congest our city.” 

A Bus Éireann spokesperson told The Echo that they were “delighted” to meet with the transport SPC, saying: “Our Cork fleet will be updated with 20 hybrid diesel double decker fleet over the coming weeks.

“This will precede the electrification of the Capwell bus depot, expected to begin next year, to support the transition to full EV operation of the city fleet from 2027.

“These works will commence once the new temporary bus depot at Tivoli is operational, which is expected by end of Q1 2026. Works at the Tivoli site are currently underway.” 

“Our intensive recruitment campaigns will continue throughout 2025 to ensure we are in a position to deliver BusConnects. The first phase is likely to need an additional 80 drivers,” they said, encouraging everyone interested in the career to look on their website for information.