Athlone's town bus service is to become Ireland's first all-electric bus service following a €10m government investment.
Physical works to make the existing bus service 100% electric began last year, and the newly sustainable service is due to commence operations next Sunday (29 January).
The service will be operated by Bus Éireann, will 11 new electric buses operating in the town, reducing annual emissions by an estimated 400,000kg.
Over 540,000 kilometres are operated on the Athlone town bus service each year, with over 10,000 passengers now using the service weekly – a 20% increase on 2019 figures.
The new buses will be charged using new charging infrastructure, with power supplied for a recently constructed electricity substation at the local Bus Éireann bus depot on Station Road. The works were carried out by ESB Smart Energy Services.
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Bus Éireann drivers and mechanics have undergone a comprehensive training programme of more than 500 hours on the driving, maintenance and operation of the buses.
The project will be the first to launch as part of the government's Pathfinder programme, which is expected to deliver a number of transport projects nationwide through state agencies and local authorities over the next three years.
Pathfinder is part of the implementation of the government's national sustainable mobility policy, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 in the transport sector.
Funding for the Athlone scheme was administered by the Department of Transport through the National Transport Authority (NTA).
“The launch of these new electric town buses and the electrification of the Athlone depot is important on a number of fronts. It’s important because it will give Athlone town a new, quieter, cleaner bus service," said Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan.
"It’s important because it’s the first of our 35 Pathfinder Projects to be delivered, just months after we first launched the programme last Autumn. And it’s important because it’s a sign of exciting things to come.
“Driven by our new Climate Action Plan 2023, the future of Irish transport is on the cusp of radical change for the better. And that radical change will be driven by electricity – electric buses, electric cars, electric trains, powered for the most part by our own home-grown, cheaper renewable energy in the future."
He added: “I’m also delighted that this change is starting in Athlone because the other big difference afoot is the upscaling in rural transport that is happening. In 2022, we connected 67 new towns with buses and that number will continue to climb."
Anne Graham, CEO of the NTA, said: “Athlone will be the first service in Ireland to be delivered entirely by electric buses, and we should not underestimate the significance of that for this town and for public transport in general.
“The experience we gain here with our colleagues in Bus Éireann will doubtless stand us in good stead as NTA rolls out similar programmes in Dublin and in other cities and towns in the months and years ahead.”
Stephen Kent, CEO of Bus Éireann, said: “This new fleet in Athlone is a particularly welcome development for Bus Éireann as we continue on our journey to become one of the most sustainable national transport companies in Europe. The operational experience will be invaluable as we expand electric vehicles to other urban services.
”We are excited to be operating the fleet, which will deliver a more modern, sustainable and comfortable service and provide an enhanced customer experience for passengers. A smoother and quieter ride is welcome as is improved access for persons with reduced mobility."
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