Route 243 Amendment

Route 243 Amendment Proposal

The National Transport Authority (NTA) is proposing to improve the level of service on Route 243 (operated by Bus Éireann) and would like to hear your views. This enhancement is part of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan which is a major national public transport initiative developed and funded by the National Transport Authority (NTA) as part of the Transport for Ireland (TFI) Network.

The purpose of the amendment is to provide the following:

• Significantly improved level of service and hours of operation of services along the corridor between Newmarket and Cork City;
• Addition of later evening services throughout the week;
• Improvement in the weekend service where the NTA considers there is latent passenger demand for travel by bus;
• Improved connections with the rail service in Mallow; and
• Significant increase in bus services operating in small rural settlements along the route, including Grenagh, Bweeng and Dromahane.

This route is proposed to be amended in early 2024.

Details of Proposal

The NTA proposes to amend Route 243 as follows:

• Route 243 service will operate on the Newmarket – Kanturk – Mallow – Dromahane – Bweeng – Grenagh – Sluggera Cross – Cork City alignment. This would operate four times per day per direction Monday to Sunday. See Map 1.
• Additional feeder services will operate on the Newmarket – Kanturk – Mallow alignment, providing an additional 5 services per day per direction Monday to Sunday on the corridor between Newmarket and Mallow. See Map 2.
• In total, there will be 9 services per day per direction between Newmarket and Mallow. These services will operate from early morning to late evening and will provide onward connections to rail, local bus and regional bus services in Mallow.
• The existing morning and evening peak service on the Charleville – Ballyhea – Buttevant – Newtwopothouse – Mallow – Rathduff – Cork alignment will be retained and will be provided with a new route number (519). See Map 3.

Please note the following:

• Following this amendment, Route 243 would not serve Doneraile. Passengers will be served with the TFI Local Link 523 service which currently provides a regular public transport connection between Doneraile and Mallow/ Mitchelstown.

• On Saturday, the Route 243 will no longer operate through Kilcasken, Banteer, Lombardstown Bridge, Glantane, Castletownroche, Killavullen, Bottlehill and Whitechurch.

• The Authority is currently reviewing options to provide a new regional service operating between Mallow and Dungarvan, via Castletownroche and Killavullen.

• Banteer has existing rail services which provide reasonably frequent connections to Mallow and Killarney.

• Whitechurch is currently served by Route 248 Bus Eireann service. This service will be upgraded under the Cork network redesign project.

• The proposed timetable will be published in advance of the amendment of the service.

To make an online submission, please click on “+ MAKE A SUBMISSION” button on this webpage.

Alternatively, please make a written submission to the address below:

Route 243 Consultation,
Transport Service Planning,
National Transport Authority,
Dún Scéine,
Harcourt Lane,
Dublin D02 WT20.

Closing Date

Consultation on this revised service will run for 4 weeks. The closing date for submissions is 4pm on Monday 27th November 2023.

Data Privacy Statement

Making a submission indicates that you agree with the NTA Privacy Statement and NTA Public Consultation Statement of Privacy. If you require further information please contact [email protected].

Freedom of Information

NTA is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2014 and, therefore, must consider any request for information made under that Act. Submissions received to the consultations will be published online.

Map 1 - Proposed Route 243 (Newmarket - Cork)

Map 2 – Proposed Route 243 Feeder Service – Newmarket - Mallow

Map 3 – 519 peak service (Charleville – Cork City)