Calls for bus service between Athboy and Kells

The need for a bus link between Athboy and Kells was highlighted at the mist recent meeting of Kells Municipal District.

Cllr Mike Bray proposed Meath County Council call on the National Transport Authority (NTA), in conjunction with Local Link, to provide a bus service between Athboy and Kells, with consideration given to stops serving the villages of Cortown and Fordstown.

"A lot of people do business between those two towns. They are two of the largest towns in the municipal district and there are a lot of people from Athboy working in Kells and vice versa.

"There are a lot of social and economic links between the towns.

"There are also elderly people from Athboy who access day care services and go to doctors in Kells and there are people in Kells with relatives in the nursing home in Athboy.

"I have had a lot of people from both towns contact me looking for a bus service between them."

Cllr Bray said the bus route could also take in Fordstown and Cortown. "There is a bus every Monday and Friday from Fordstown to Navan, but people from that area tend to do their business or Athboy and Kells as they are nearer.

"I believe that a service like this would be very well used. When they introduced a bus from Athboy to Navan it was limited but there was huge demand and there are several services a day now. I believe there is the same demand for a bus between Athboy and Kells.