Citylink, the Scottish coach operator which announced its entry into the Irish market on the Dublin-Galway route yesterday, is planning to roll out services on at least four other inter-city corridors next year.
It is understood the company is planning new services between Dublin and Cork, Limerick, Wexford and Co Kerry in direct competition with some of Bus Éireann's most popular routes.
Citylink, which is part of the Metroline Group, a wholly-owned division of the Singapore-owned DelGro Corporation, has paid an initial consideration of €1.34 million - plus €250,000 in deferred charges - for Cummer Commercials, owned by Mr Jim Burke, which operates the Citylink Express service on the Galway-Dublin-Dublin-Airport route.
Citylink said the service would remain unchanged at present with 12 buses operating in each direction every day. In the new year, it plans to re-brand the service and spend €650,000 on a new on-line sales and reservation system.
In Scotland, the company provides more than 400 long-distance coach services each day. Metroline provides bus services in London, while DelGro employs more than 10,000 people in the UK, Singapore, China and Malaysia.
Metroline already operates the Aerdart service between Dublin Airport and Howth Junction, providing a link to the DART and the suburban rail network.
