KILDARE: New extended bus route will provide a regular service through Kilcullen

A brand-new extended bus route will provide a regular service through Kilcullen.

The announcement follows a meeting that was held on Monday, May 29 last between Kildare County Council and the National Transport Authority (NTA). 

It is understood that the 129 service will have upgraded frequency compared to the current temporary service, with a commencement date to be confirmed, hoped to be around August or September. 

Fine Gael councillor Tracey O'Dwyer welcomed the recent announcement in a statement.

Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer. File photograph.

It reads as follows: "I brought forward a motion in January to the full council meeting, asking for a meeting with the NTA and all councillors because there was a real concern that Kildare was going to be left short in funding from the NTA to deliver projects that were committed to last year.

"I had three items that I was seeking confirmation on going into the Meeting with the NTA on Monday and they were:

• That the NTA would honour a commitment to fund a pedestrian crossing at Allenview Heights and Lakeside Park Newbridge committed to in 2022
• That the NTA would fund road safety works at Scoil Naomh Uilig Newbridge that was committed to in 2022
• That the NTA fund a walking path in Brannockstown 

"I am delighted to be able to confirm that the NTA confirmed at the meeting on Monday, that in addition to €9.97 million already committed to Kildare County Council from the NTA, the NTA will, in addition to this, fund: the pedestrian crossing at Allenview Heights and Lakeside Park, the path in Brannockstown and the safety works at Scoil Naomh Uilig."

Cllr O'Dwyer elaborated: "I have been advocating for some time the need for a rural bus from villages and townlands on the periphery of Kilcullen and the need for more frequent times on the 129 town link service from Kilcullen to Newbridge.

"I'm delighted that the NTA confirmed at the meeting that a new enhanced services will run from Dunlavin to Newbridge through Kilcullen, it is proposed that this service will be a seven-day service with regular times throughout the day.

"I did ask at the meeting for a timeline as to when this service will commence and the NTA said they will come back to me with a more definite timeline but most likely we are looking at late August/early September."

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She continued: "€9.97 million has already been committed to Kildare County Council, but the problem is €300,000 of this funding is already committed to the Green Road works in Newbridge and the remainder is committed to the Blueway which left no funding for pedestrian crossings and paths throughout the county.

"The NTA recommended at the meeting that Kildare County Council should compile a priority list of projects and submit them to NTA for funding and hopefully they would be in a position to fund them."

"The NTA supports local authorities to provide paths, pedestrian crossings, bus shelters, bus routes so their funding is crucial to ensure pedestrian safety and better public transport in our county.

"At the meeting on Monday, the NTA outlined how the Government allocated €290 million in funding this year to the NTA which then has to be divided out to 31 local authorities and if they had more funding, they could deliver more projects.

"The NTA also outlined that the delays within An Bord Pleanála regarding projects that the NTA are waiting to deliver is having a dramatic effect on project delivery times. The NTA also agreed to meet councillors on an annual basis and this is to be welcomed.

"I have seen firsthand in the Kildare Newbridge Municipal-District the positive outcomes of the NTA involvement and support to Kildre County Council in delivering much needed projects and I look forward to this very effective partnership continuing into the future.

She concluded: "We are coming from a very low base here in County Kildare regarding public transport and walking and cycling routes so while lots of work has been done there is a lot more to do but continued regular funding is essential to maintain the very effective relationship between NTA and local authorities."