A PRIVATE bus serving the fish factory at Gearhies, 10km from Bantry, will no longer be operated by the registered charity Bantry Rural Transport (BRT).

Speaking on behalf of ​BRT, David O’Brien said the fish company will instead, from Friday onwards, operate its own service using a bus it has purchased specifically for that purpose.

As a result, the mini-bus owned by Bantry Rural Transport will be sold, and the three part-time drivers will be laid off.

Mr O’Brien explained that Bantry Rural Transport had entered into an agreement with the fish company a few years ago, but the board of BRT decided it was no longer viable to operate it.

Mr O’Brien acknowledged that other, infrequent runs provided by BRT, free of charge, such as taking wheelchair users to medical appointments, will no longer be provided.

But he did point out that local bus services, which are wheelchair accessible, are in operation, and have in fact been extended in recent years to cover Bantry and beyond.

Because the charity’s bus is for sale, Mr O’Brien said: ‘We will no longer be in a position to provide ad hoc services.

‘This decision has not been taken lightly, but we don’t have the resources to continue. It simply isn’t economically viable to provide some ad hoc services without remuneration,’ he added.

Mr O’Brien’s explanation came after one wheelchair user wrote to The Southern Star alleging that Local Link had decided to discontinue their wheelchair-accessible bus services.

Local Link, as previously reported, continues to operate all of its routes and services under the auspices of a private contractor.