As the Coach Tourism & Transport Council (CTTC) prepares to meet the Department of Transport, its Chairman John Halpenny said: “Not only has the bus and coach industry come to a complete stop, it is difficult to see how it will come back to life without assistance.”
Few invoices have been issued by bus and coach operators since the middle of March, in fact to see a coach on the road is rare sight. As CTTC members prepare to return to business they face an almost impossible task as the country is still in lockdown from a tourism point of view. Those arriving in Ireland, be it a tourist or Irish people returning from holiday are currently forced to go into self-isolation. With limited guidelines and concerns for staff there is no certainty as to how many people can travel on a bus. In the coming week the CTTC will meet with various Government agencies to try and get some certainty for their members.
When all the talking is done, it is clear that financial assistance will be necessary to reignite bus services. With a new Government expected to be formed with a very strong shade of Green, it would be a failure for policy makers to allow bus transport lose out to a return to the use of cars.