National Express Ireland, the Irish body of the UK-based coach operator, has announced its plans to invest approximately €30m (£25m) in a fleet of up to 50 new vehicles over the next five years.
This growth strategy will build on its existing operations in Dublin to support the delivery of better connected intercity travel across Ireland.
The company has already invested over €5m (£4.2m) in its Dublin airport-based Dublin Express service, with its current 14 buses projected to grow to 20 by the end of 2022.
This service currently employs 60 staff, with the company hoping to reach more than 100 employees in 2023. The city-airport fleet reportedly carried more than 700,000 customers in the last year.
National Express Ireland hopes to be the first operator to run a zero emissions vehicle (ZEV) bus fleet in Dublin. It also plans to make all of its Irish and UK-based coaches zero emission by 2035.
John Boughton, managing director of National Express Ireland, said: “We’ve been strong enough to ride the challenges of the pandemic and its various lockdowns and restrictions and now we want to actively explore new opportunities.
“We believe that Ireland has an opportunity to be a global leader in public transport by accelerating plans for zero emission vehicles.
“This inevitably includes both how vehicles and supporting infrastructure are funded.
“There are some well-established and successful models for private sector and public sector working together, including National Express’ experience in Birmingham.”
National Express already operates 29 fully electric buses in across the West Midlands (UK) and oversees 20 hydrogen buses with Birmingham City Council. It plans to introduce hundreds more sustainable vehicles over the following two to three years.
