Commuters will benefit from bus timetable plans

Commuters will benefit from bus timetable plans

28 August 2013

BUS services are set to improve in Saul and Raholp with a new Strangford commuter service ready to begin in September.

The changes to the Translink timetable will provide an early morning bus from Strangford, along with an increase in the number of buses stopping in Saul and Raholp.

The new service could lead to less traffic and less congestion as commuters will be able to take an early bus to Downpatrick to meet the early morning Belfast bus service from Downpatrick.

The new service has been welcomed by Saul resident David Hamill who said families from the three villages could feel the benefit.

“This means that people in all three villages can get into the bus station in Downpatrick for about 8am in time to get the onwards buses to Belfast arriving before 9am.

“This is a boon for commuters and means that cars don’t have to be parked in Downpatrick or Belfast all day and unavailable to other family members,” he said.

Councillor Cadogan Enright

said buses to Strangford were often timed to meet the ferry, but said

more could be done to service residents in Saul and Raholp and ease road congestion problems for commuters.

“One third of the workforce in Down District commutes to the greater Belfast area and we need to configure our public transport systems to take this into account,” he said.

“Aside from the fact that it is government policy to get people out of their cars and onto public transport, it just makes sense given the failure of the Roads Service to deliver relief to roads congestion in Downpatrick and the failure to tackle the A7 and the Ballynahinch by-pass.

“Following meetings with local Translink management in January, I arranged to travel with them on the routes, timing different variations.

“We did this last month, driving the different route options between Downpatrick and Strangford,” he said.

The improvement to bus services have been welcomed by residents and Strangford Community Association chairman, Diarmiud Riordan.

“We look forward to the commencement of this commuter service in September and no doubt it will be more convenient for all our residents and travellers,” said Mr. Riordan.