Passengers on the 236 bus from Glengarriff to Cork have taken their frustration about delays and cancellations online.

Many users of the service are venting their anger on internet platform Reddit, with one claiming they had contacted the bus operator several times in the last month.

The commuter, who travelled from Bantry to Cork at 7am, wrote: ‘I’m fuming… missing two hours of work myself. Multiple others also use this route to go to their jobs. College students getting scr**** too. People with medical appointments, cancer treatment, dialysis etc... A bus driver told me, it’s impossible to keep the buses going due to lack of drivers and mechanics. I’m sick of emailing TFI and hearing sorry for your inconvenience.’

Another Reddit user wrote: ‘I had to wait four hours for the 236 bus from Drimoleague to Cork. What’s going on with the buses?’

To which someone responded: ‘That bus route has been shocking for years. My sympathies with anyone who has to use it regularly.’

In the 2023/24 Bus Éireann Direct Award Contract Route By Route Punctuality Report, the 236 service scored an average of 68% on punctuality. The route links Glengarriff, Bantry, Bandon and Cork, with around 31 stops. According to timetables, the trip is meant to take about 1.5 to 2.5 hours, depending on the time. Running daily from early morning to evening, it’s a vital transport link connecting West Cork’s towns to Cork city.

Separately, one commuter recently told this newspaper how their bus journey took four hours recently and the service which was supposed to travel to Beara terminated in Glengarriff without any prior notice to passengers.

A spokesperson for Bus Éireann said: ‘Bus Éireann operates the 236 service (Cork-Glengarriff) as part of its Public Service Obligation (PSO) under direct award contract to the National Transport Authority (NTA).

‘The NTA determines the timetables, fares and routes for PSO services.

‘In general we do not see many cancellations on Route 236, with the possible exception of a mechanical breakdown of the bus on route, however this would not be common.

‘In all circumstances, ie driver shortfall, bus shortfall, breakdown, we engage a private bus operator to cover the route for us. As with all routes, route 236 would on occasion experience delays, in general due to traffic congestion.

‘This would be more problematic during school terms, when traffic levels increase significantly. In addition, there have been ongoing roadworks in Bandon, which would have impacted on occasion.’