Bus Eireann lose out on six bus routes between Kildare and Dublin
GoAhead has been announced as the preferred bidder for six bus routes on the Kildare-Dublin Commuter route.
It means Bus Eireann will no longer service those routes. The routes to be operated by GoAhead at the end of this year or early next year are: 120, 120C, 123, 124, 126, 130.
They link Dublin city centre to towns such as Athy, Kilcullen, Kildare, Maynooth, Naas, Newbridge and Rathangan in County Kildare; Edenderry and Tullamore in County Offaly; Portlaoise, County Laois; and Enfield, County Meath.
The National Transport Authority says fares will stay the same, and Chief Executive Anne Graham says the services are not being privatised.
Leap Card and Free Travel Public Services Card will continue to be accepted on all the services, and the routes will continue to be included in NTA’s Real Time Passenger Information and Journey Planner platforms.
Ms Graham said: "Nothing is being sold, services are not being deregulated, the control of the services remains with the NTA.
"The operator will be paid a fixed fee for providing the prescribed services and the fares go to the NTA, not to the operator
