The first phase of an improved bus and commuter coach service for Galway city was officially unveiled today.
Some 54 new vehicles are envisaged by 2009, servicing Galway city and outlying towns such as Gort, Claregalway and Moycullen.
Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey today marked the introduction of 12 new buses on the Doughiska to Parkmore route. Thousands of new residential properties have been built in Doughiska in recent years, and Parkmore is a major centre of employment.
Three new buses are already in service and by autumn, a further nine will be operating every 15 minutes between 7am and 7pm Monday to Saturday and half hourly on Sundays.
All the new buses are biofuel compatible and are intended to run on a 5 per cent blend once supply arrangements are in place. They also have low-floor access meaning, all Bus Éireann's Galway city fleet is wheelchair accessible.
Bus Éireann chief executive Tim Hayes said: "As the fleet comes on stream, we will be improving timetables on city and commuter routes, moving to a 15-minute frequency on city routes."
Demand has risen considerably on commuter routes, Mr Hayes added. Services will run every half hour at peak times on these routes.
The vehicles are among the 235 being provided by Bus Éireann under the Government's Transport 21 strategy.
Mr Dempsey said: "Today marks the launch by Bus Éireann of an ambitious customer focused plan to upgrade Galway city and commuter bus services. Other cities and towns right across the country are similarly set to enjoy improvements to services under Transport 21."
New radial routes into and out of the city centre improving punctuality will be rolled out over two phases by 2009, with some routes revamped and directed away from the city centre to avoid congestion.
The new routes will use existing and new bus lanes.