NTA slammed over lack of movement on new bus linking Glendalough and Bray

By Hugh O'Farrell Walsh, The Wicklow People

Opposition TDs in Wicklow have expressed their outrage that the National Transport Authority (NTA) still has no start date for the introduction of the Glendalough-Bray local link, the 199, that was promised to be introduced in September 2025.

Social Democrats Deputy Jennifer Whitmore raised the issue with Transport Minister Darragh O’ Brien in the Dáil recently with junior minister Jerry Buttimer confirming that there is still no start date for this local link route.

Deputy Whitmore believes the lack of service is having a negative impact on residents.

“I have been contacted by many, many people in the community about this service and how urgently they need it. I wrote to the NTA in April of 2025 about this service and they, in May 2025, informed me that they were finalising the proposed timetable and that this route not only had funding, but it was a priority for the NTA.

“In early September, I learned that a provider had been awarded the contract for this service and that they were ready to start on the 21st/22nd of September 2025. It is now January 2026, and we are still without this service.”

The minister indicated that the NTA’s 2026 Service Plan must be published before the service is operational. No date has been announced for that publication.

Deputy Whitmore doesn’t understand why it is taking this long to introduce the service.

“How it could take so long for a local bus service, that has funding, a contractor, and is a priority, to be introduced is absolutely appalling and I am deeply disappointed in the NTA.”

“This service is essential to the community and has been promised to them for a long time now. It is an essential service to get people to work, to school, to health appointments, and to social events. There is no question that it would be widely used by the communities it will serve.”

Deputy Whitmore has indicated she will be writing to the NTA and to the Minister for Transport and urging them both to ensure that the Service Plan for 2026 is published, and that the 199-bus route be rolled out as soon as possible after that.

This community have too long been left without crucial connectivity, further delays are not acceptable,” Deputy Whitmore concluded.

Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow, John Brady, challenged the NTA at a recent meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), on continued delays in launching the long-awaited bus service.

Deputy Brady had recently received a reply to a Parliamentary Question, in which, the Department of Transport and the NTA stated that they are currently engaging in relation to funding of the PSO (Public Service Obligation) programme generally, and therefore the commencement date of the route is subject to confirmation of funding and therefore, a precise date for launch cannot be provided at this time.

At the meeting, Deputy Brady pressed the NTA officials to give him a commitment that this route would be delivered as a priority in the first quarter of 2026, a commitment that the NTA could not give.

Deputy Brady said their response was disappointing.

“This response will be of absolutely no comfort to people across Glendalough, Laragh, Annamoe, Roundwood who have waited long enough for a regular and reliable public transport option.

“This service was first announced in October of 2024 and since then, we’ve seen delay after delay.

“It is extraordinary that such detailed plans were put in place for the rollout of this badly needed route, which was scheduled to commence in September of last year, including engagement with contractors and the recruitment of additional drivers, only for it now to be stated that the service remains subject to funding and that discussions with the Department are ongoing in relation to PSO.”

“This raises serious concerns about the planning process, the communication provided to stakeholders, and the uncertainty being imposed on both service providers and the communities that were led to expect this service to be operational.”

Deputy Brady believes it is not good enough that local communities are still waiting for the service to begin operating.

“This service is vital and must be rolled out as early as possible and cannot be a victim of the government’s failure to provide sufficient funding in Budget 2026 for new transport services.

“This is about providing a real and reliable seven-day-a-week public transport service that connects rural communities to Bray, where people can access not only local services but also make onward journeys via the regional and DART rail services at Bray (Daly) Station.”

“Following my questioning, the NTA has committed to provide me with a full update on the status of this route, and it is essential that they treat this with the urgency it deserves.” he added.