[crank_1975]

It would definitely make sense for some of the "express" buses to go through the tunnel. The 5PM from Wilton Terrace on Friday didn't get to Busaras until 5.40PM and by the time everyone had got on the bus it was close to 6PM, thankfully the driver went via the tunnel which cut the journey time significantly. Since this bus is full pretty much every day when leaving Busaras the issue of pickups at the Mater / Cabra / Blanch doesn't matter so using the tunnel is the smartest way to operate the service.

As an aside, one of the drivers told me that they have to pay for the tolls on the M3 from the cash float!!! Why can't we have some joined up thinking for something in this country, surely each bus could be fitted with an easypass which would mean the bus could use the express lane.

[gazzer]

I think I will just continue using the 30 when travelling from Dublin to Virginia. I know it only runs every 2 hours but at least it only takes 90 minutes.

[piperh]

Stood waiting in kells at the moment for the 9.55am been here since 9.40 (the old time just in case) and its still not here at 10.15am, not going to get to cavan for the 10.40 on the timetable i think. This service is useless.

[Commuter109]

At last, a half six express seems to be from running from Busaras this week which is using the M3. It got into Navan in about one hour and 5 minutes this week, which was great.

In fact the longest part of the Jouney was from Town to blanch via the Navan road route. Still a bit of bee my bonnet about this element of the journey. Circa 22 people got on at Busaras, two at the matter, nobody in Phisborough, nobody in Cabra and two at ashtown, and 3 or 4 on the Blanch slip road. so if my math is right we could have used the port tunnel and it may have made the journey quicker for 87% of bus users.

That said it mighn't made a huge difference at that time of the evening, but would be interested in knowning how long the half five is taking to get to Blanch and if the port tunnel would be a quicker alternative at that of day??

Unfortunately wouldn't be able to make express buses all the time, so back the plan of getting rid of that detour through Clonee for the non express buses which appears to be inconvenniencing the all but a very small handful of commuters

[Commuter109]

At last, a half six express seems to be from running from Busaras this week which is using the M3. It got into Navan in about one hour and 5 minutes this week, which was great.

In fact the longest part of the Journey was from Town to blanch via the Navan road route. Still a bit of bee my bonnet about this element of the journey. Circa 22 people got on at Busaras, two at the matter, nobody in Phisborough, nobody in Cabra and two at ashtown, and 3 or 4 on the Blanch slip road. so if my math is right we could have used the port tunnel and it may have made the journey quicker for 87% of bus users.

That said it mightn’t made a huge difference at that time of the evening, but would be interested in knowing how long the half five is taking to get to Blanch and if the port tunnel would be a quicker alternative at that of day??

Unfortunately wouldn't be able to make express buses all the time, so back the plan of getting rid of that detour through Clonee for the non express buses which appears to be inconveniencing the all but a very small handful of commuters

[NufcNavan]

The bus I was on this morning had wifi.

[Commuter109]

Originally Posted by NufcNavan

The bus I was on this morning had wifi.

Excellent stuff! and what hopefully is going to be a bigger improvement, was chatting to one of the inspectors last week, and he told me that the powers that be infromed him that they are going to cut the Clonee detour to serve Bracetown to 4 or so services a day.

[tara83]

The bus is getting later and later every evening into Dunshaughlin. Yesterday it was 7.15 (don't think I have seen anything like that since the snow last year) and at least 6.45 every other day. It is turning into a joke.

[lxflyer]

I do find it somewhat ironic that when the 109 timetable changed in May there were plenty of complaints here about it going via the airport and not serving the N3 and now there is nothing but complaints about it serving the N3 again.

It does go to show that it is impossible to please everyone.

Personally I would have thought that the Bracetown stops only need perhaps two buses in either direction in the morning and evening peaks and perhaps one in each direction at lunchtime to serve the business park and everything else could use the N3 between Blanchardstown and Pace.

[Commuter109]

What bus is it that you are getting Tara and whats the crux of the hold up. Assumedly the vast majority of the time is spent getting to Blanchardstown?

Not sure in relation to Lxflyers comments re the May changes, whether they pertain to the 109 or 109A service.

What I will say is that Bus Eireann shouldn't be aiming "to please everyone", Its that mentality that has buses going to Clonee constantly to service what are in essence ghost stops. what they should be looking for is efficiency; after all they are running a business. Using the Cabra route out of town is an example of "trying to please everyone", and all it's doing is adding to the commute of the vast majority I think. I understand that the 5.30 express to Navan has been using the Port Tunnel out of town recently and getting to Navan in record times.

I was on the 6.30 express the other evening and in excess of 30 people boarded it in Busaras and on the way out not a solitary sole got on between the Mater and Blanch.

I'm not a transportation logistics expert, but I do remember when some of the buses were using the port tunnel last year because of the works in Phoniex Park, we were betting to Blanch in Circa 25 minutes some evenings.

I wonder if bus eireann have done any analysis on the alternatives and what the result were?

[lxflyer]

Originally Posted by Commuter109

What bus is it that you are getting Tara and whats the crux of the hold up. Assumedly the vast majority of the time is spent getting to Blanchardstown?

Not sure in relation to Lxflyers comments re the May changes, whether they pertain to the 109 or 109A service.

What I will say is that Bus Eireann shouldn't be aiming "to please everyone", Its that mentality that has buses going to Clonee constantly to service what are in essence ghost stops. what they should be looking for is efficiency; after all they are running a business. Using the Cabra route out of town is an example of "trying to please everyone", and all it's doing is adding to the commute of the vast majority I think. I understand that the 5.30 express to Navan has been using the Port Tunnel out of town recently and getting to Navan in record times.

I was on the 6.30 express the other evening and in excess of 30 people boarded it in Busaras and on the way out not a solitary sole got on between the Mater and Blanch.

I'm not a transportation logistics expert, but I do remember when some of the buses were using the port tunnel last year because of the works in Phoniex Park, we were betting to Blanch in Circa 25 minutes some evenings.

I wonder if bus eireann have done any analysis on the alternatives and what the result were?

They pertain to the 109.

There were a whole heap of complaints here when the 109 started going via the Port Tunnel and the Airport.

Now when the routing reverted to the original route via the N3 there are complaints again.

I'm merely pointing out that no matter what they do there will always be someone put out!

[markpb]

Originally Posted by lxflyer

There were a whole heap of complaints here when the 109 started going via the Port Tunnel and the Airport. Now when the routing reverted to the original route via the N3 there are complaints again.

I only get this bus occasionally but my understanding is that people were not complaining about it taking DPT but about the amount of time it took to get through the airport. Now the problem is not the N3 but going through Clonee.

[lxflyer]

Originally Posted by markpb

I only get this bus occasionally but my understanding is that people were not complaining about it taking DPT but about the amount of time it took to get through the airport. Now the problem is not the N3 but going through Clonee.

No I think you'll find complaints above about going via the N3 also Mark.

[crank_1975]

There are two issues I would have, the 5PM from Wilton Terrace used to leave at 5.10PM and got to Busaras at about 5.30PM now even though it is leaving 10 minutes earlier it seems to be taking longer to get to busaras.

Once this bus leaves busaras it is usually full (as it is the cavan bus) so there is no reason for this bus to go through the city to blanch (which seems to be taking longer and longer every day) and surely it would make sense for the "express" bus to use the tunnel and then the M3. The handful of times it has done this it has been in Kells at 6.45PM which is more than acceptable. Recently this bus has been getting to Kells at 7.20PM and even 7.30PM on some nights, this equates to a 2.5 hour journey from Wilton terrace to Kells (even using the motorway and bypassing Clonee, Dunshaughlin and Navan).

The main issue seems to be the drivers as far as I can see as depending on which driver you get the time you get home will be either earlier or later, some of them appear to be driving commuter buses while others are doing sightseeing tours of west dublin / east meath.

[gazzer]

Its going to be great fun from Monday on the Navan Road when the new Tesco opens. Especially with it coming up to Xmas. There is going to be a huge bottleneck at the section of the Navan road that the 109 comes onto from Cabra Road there at the McDonalds.