Sinn Féin TD for Galway West Mairéad Farrell has expressed disappointment that the West has been overlooked again in favour of Dublin. This time, Dublin bus routes will benefit from the first shipment of new high-capacity double decker coaches, which will arrive by the end of 2026.
The next round of buses will not be delivered until 2027, which will be deployed in other areas across the state, including the chronically oversubscribed 424 bus route in Conamara.
Deputy Farrell has been consistently raising the capacity issues on the 424 with the NTA and in the Dáil since 2022, meaning it will have taken five years for the issue to be addressed once the buses are deployed on the route in 2027.
Speaking this week Deputy Farrell said passengers on the 424 bus have been left behind again with the disappointing news that the new high-capacity double-decker coaches will not be rolled out in Galway until 2027 as routes in Dublin are being prioritised.
“The NTA have been aware of serious capacity issues on the 424 since 2022. Despite an improved timetable at the end of 2023, it was clear that more needed to be done to meet demand on the route.
“Earlier this year, I was advised that the NTA was ordering 60 high-capacity double-decker coaches to improve bus services across the state with anticipated delivery between Q4 2026 and Q4 2027,” she said.
“This week I have been advised that the coaches scheduled for delivery in Q4 2026 will be rolled out in Dublin. This is a slap in the face for commuters in the west, who are already at an infrastructural disadvantage when compared to Dublin.
“The chronic traffic congestion in Galway is well-documented and we cannot wait for the ring road to be delivered to improve public transport networks.“This announcement from the NTA means that people in south Conamara will continue to wait on the side of the road with no other public transport option until sometime in 2027. They have already been waiting four years for action on this. We must see increased capacity on the 424 as soon as possible,” concluded Deputy Farrell.
