Overcrowded buses 'leaving passengers behind them' across three Galway areas

One of the key issues is that buses are overfull at peak times, and people are left standing at the side of the road

Published 17th Sep 2026, 10:49 BST Bus driver stock image | Local One of the key issues is that buses are overfull at peak times, and people are left standing at the side of the road Passengers are being left at the side of the road by overcrowded buses at peak times, while problems with school transport are putting families under pressure, a Connemara councillor has warned.

The concerns arose as new transport proposals for Clifden, Moycullen and Oughterard prepare to go to public consultation in the coming weeks.

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Cllr Noel Thomas told a meeting of the Connemara Municipal District that while public transport had improved, capacity remained a major issue.

“The transport system has improved a lot, but one of the key issues is that buses are overfull at peak times, and people are left standing at the side of the road,” he said.

Cllr Thomas also raised concerns about the school transport system, saying students were being left without adequate transport and families were being put in difficult situations as a result.

“So many students are just being left there,” he said. “They have to change the system. Families are being left in awkward situations trying to get to work and get the kids to school.”

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Draft studies have been completed identifying the main transport issues facing the three communities and setting out potential sustainable transport measures.

The studies focus on school access, tourism, town and village centres and wider connectivity. But Cllr Thomas questioned what improvements would ultimately result from the process.

“What is our end game?” he asked. “What do we hope to achieve from these community transport studies?”