A CO Antrim bus company has announced plans to create 40 jobs through a new travel partnership with the Odyssey complex in Belfast.
The Hannon Group, who operate Hannon Coach has announced a three year commercial partnership with The Odyssey Trust which will see the transport provider become the official coach partner to The SSE Arena, the Stena Line Belfast Giants and W5.
As part of the deal Hannon will provide transport to and from the arena for events from a dedicated, on-site passenger drop-off facility. An express exit route further allows coaches to leave the arena against the traditional flow of traffic, maximising the speed at which customers can access and depart events.
Hannon Coach managing director Aodh Hannon said he hopes the new partnership can encourage schools and more people from rural areas such as Mid-Ulster, Armagh and Fermanagh to visit the arena for events.
He told the Irish News that the company, a relative new player within the coach industry, has already created 40 new jobs this year and through its latest contract hopes to add another 40 positions.
"We're projecting 80 jobs before the end of 2019," he said.
"We are excited about our partnership with the Odyssey Trust which will see our business providing high quality transportation to the Odyssey site from key locations across Northern Ireland. The drop-off and express exit routes are central to the accessible and efficient service we are looking forward to providing. We will be operating regular and pre-bookable transportation links which we want to become a real alternative to taking the car.”
Nigel Robbins, commercial director for the Odyssey Trust - the charitable organisation responsible for the management and development of the Odyssey site, added:
"This terrific partnership with Hannon Coach will bring increased transport options to the Odyssey site. We want to make it easy, safe and as convenient as possible for our customers to visit on a regular basis, for high profile events and frequent visits to the site."
The Hannon Group, which is headquartered in Aghalee with further facilities in Templepatrick, Dublin and the Netherlands, has over 20 years’ experience in transport and logistics. The group’s entry into the coach sector will bring its total number of employees to approximately 350.
The group has further confirmed that in mid-September it will begin a new partnership with Stena Line, operating a three-time daily return express service to Glasgow.
