Councillors Urge Translink to Rethink Final Departure Times During The Open in Portrush

Elected members of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council are pressing Translink to reconsider the timing of its final train and bus services from Portrush during The Open golf championship this summer.

Under current proposals, the last public transport services are scheduled to leave the resort town at 11.05pm. However, councillors have voiced concerns that these timings may prevent spectators from fully experiencing the town's evening hospitality during the prestigious sporting event.

The issue was raised at a council meeting on Tuesday, where officials were informed of the immense logistical undertaking involved in transporting thousands of visitors to and from Portrush.

Peter Thompson, the council’s Head of Tourism, explained the constraints faced by Translink in managing staffing levels across the transport network.

“My understanding is that the difficulty Translink has is to do with tachographs and the length of shift their staff can work,” he told councillors.

“They are absolutely maxed-out across the rail and bus network. They are using Citybus drivers and all sorts to facilitate that.”

Mr Thompson noted that some flexibility had already been introduced for Saturday’s schedule, with park-and-ride services extended to accommodate those attending a band parade.

“The drivers are starting very early in the morning, they have shift patterns and they have to stick to them in terms of tachographs,” he added.

Despite these operational pressures, Mr Thompson confirmed that discussions with Translink were ongoing and that the matter would be raised again.

“It’s a conversation we can have,” he said. “We can say our elected members would like to look at the possibility of a further extension and we can come back to you.”

Meanwhile, the prospect of a dedicated shuttle bus to transport fans from the train station directly to the Royal Portrush Golf Club has been largely discounted.

Johnny McCarron, the council officer overseeing preparations for the event, highlighted several obstacles to the proposal.

“Translink and the R&A foresee issues,” he said, pointing to limited road capacity in the town and lessons learned from a similar attempt during the Airshow, which he described as “tricky.”

“If we do it there’s a concern that it will get stuck or enter into a collision with something else,” he explained.

“There are also questions around who will pay for it and around reputational damage if it goes ahead and there isn't a good outcome.”

The Open, one of golf’s most prestigious tournaments, is expected to draw tens of thousands of visitors to Portrush, placing unprecedented pressure on local infrastructure and services.