Easibus route to be scrapped

The city's sole Easibus service - to the Waterside and Drumahoe - is to be withdrawn by June 2010, Transport Minister Conor Murphy has confirmed.

The service runs from Londonderry city centre to Drumahoe and serves many areas of the Waterside including King Street, Glendermott Road, Rossdowney Road, Kilfennan, Woodburn, Lisnagelvin, Irish Street and Altnagelvin.

Responding to a query at the Stormont Assembly Mr Murphy advised: "I can confirm that there are plans to withdraw two routes in Bangor in January 2010 with a further two routes in Bangor and one in Derry being withdrawn in June 2010. Routes in Belfast are to be reviewed early in 2010."

Translink describes Easibus as an accessible local bus service "mainly (but not solely) for people with mobility impairments who find it difficult to access conventional public transport."

The service - supported by the Department for Regional Development (DRD) - has been hailed in the past as a service for everyone that offers a "step-less easy access low floor bus with space for a wheelchair or pram."

A Translink spokesperson told the Sentinel: "We regularly review and monitor all our services to continue to provide an attractive, sustainable and good value service."