Welcome for new bus service linking Navan and Enfield
TFI Local Link Louth Meath Fingal is launching bus services between Enfield to Navan, from Monday the 29th of January
This new route is part of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan which is a major national public transport initiative developed and funded by the National Transport Authority (NTA) as part of the Transport for Ireland (TFI) Network.
Route 189 will replace routes 115L and 115d and will operate five daily return services between Enfield and Navan, Monday to Sunday, as well as three additional daily return services between Longwood and Enfield, Monday to Friday.
Along with a new Sunday service, the route will provide morning and evening services for commuters aimed at enhancing connectivity to Dunderry, Robinstown and Our Lady’s Hospital Navan.
Speaking ahead of the launch, TFI Local Link Louth Meath Fingal Acting Manager, Deirdre Murtagh said: “We are delighted to introduce this new service, route 189 from Enfield to Navan, which will allow passengers to have greater connections from areas such as Longwood, Trim, Dunderry and Robinstown to Navan and Enfield.
“Route 189 will also allow passengers to connect with health appointments with stops at the Primary Care Centre in Trim and Our Lady’s Hospital in Navan.
“This new route will be transformative and have a fundamental impact on the health and wellbeing of people in the community.”
Commenting on the news, Navan Cllr Emer Tóibín said that a "concerted effort over many years by several Navan groups, working together for a badly needed bus service has borne fruit."
“We were all determined to make this happen; locals and the Local Link Service based here in Navan”.
I became aware of the lack of such a service during one of my earliest canvasses five years ago. I was astounded to learn that Robinstown residents, although less than 7 km from Navan or Trim, had no access to public transport. They had no way to get to a shop or a secondary school without a car. I found it both baffling and highly frustrating that for some reason, the NTA (National Transport Authority) and BE (Bus Eireann) would not include this and other villages on the public transport network. Many people living in these villages who don’t have cars are literally stranded and have to depend on the kindness of a neighbour or a family member to get them to where they need to go”.
“One family I spoke with mentioned that each parent had to have his or her own car to get to work and their eldest child also needed her own car to get to college. So, a small household needed to own and run three cars just to access their work place and education - and we are not talking about remote rural Ireland here - we are talking about small villages close to large urban towns being left to their own devices.”
“I know countless residents in these villages who will be delighted when this service is up and running - it will quite literally be life changing for them ; it will allow them independence, students will be able to get to college without the need for a parent to drive them to the neighbouring town, teenagers and young adults will be able to get out and about without having to depend on their parents and commuters will be able to get to a connecting service in the neighbouring bigger town”.
“I wish to thank especially the staff of Local Link, Navan for continuing the push to get this service to the people who need it.
Mayor of Navan, Cllr Eddie Fennessy said: “The new 189 bus route is a win win for everyone. Communities along the route now have ease of access to hospitals, schools, shopping centres, sports and leisure facilities in larger urban settlements.
“Whilst businesses in those larger settlements will benefit from the influx of new shoppers every week. I'm particularly delighted for the villages of Dunderry and Robinstown. I've long campaigned for public transport access to those areas. Communities living there will benefit greatly for this service."