Nessa Cosgrove (Labour)

The witnesses are very welcome back. They must be sick of seeing us at this stage. I want to ask about Local Link, so I guess it concerns the NTA. The issue of extending and connecting Local Link routes is raised with us all the time. I do not want to refer to specific routes. Mr. Creegan stated there has been a 33% increase in the number of people using the service, which is fantastic. I have written to the Department of Transport asking whose responsibility it is to create a new route or connect routes. Is it the local authorities, the NTA or the Department? There seems to be confusion. I just want clarity. I got a letter back about trying to get a bus stop or a new route extended. It said these are matters for the NTA in conjunction with the local authority sector and relevant public transport companies. I guess it would be cheaper to connect existing routes rather than set up a new route. What are the criteria? We have people coming to us all the time about this and we have conducted door-to-door petitions, but we do not know what to do or the right approach. Is it to do with the local authorities, the NTA or the Department of Transport?