Is the Luas (red line) saves you any time on commuting

leonlafrite

Just out of curiosity, is the red line LUAS is saving commuting time ?

I am asking this because I find that the time I saved using the LUAS is wasted by having to go to the bus stop and then having to wait for one so I can get to my final destination...

Am I the only one in this situation ???

gogo

No, i though it was going to be great, but by the time i walk to the luas stops and then by the time one eventually comes, i might as well build a pair of wings and fly(it would be quicker).
There has never been a luas waiting when i get off the train at hueston, and i get the train at various times and still have yet to see a luas at the stop.
I'd say that it is quiet handy for thoses coming from and going to Tallagh, but for getting around dublin inner city I don't think much of it.

The sunday world did a time test of driving, the bus and luas, and the bus won every time, not by much mind you, but it won none the less.

Either way its the bus for me.

Traffic

At the moment Luas is scheduled to run only every 10 mins until they deem that Kamikaze motorists no longer pose a threat to operations.
This is the way the green line operated initially but the process did not take as long because of more segregation between the tram and road vehicles.

gogo

Also it should be pointed out that the red luas tram is only two carriages long, (because of the numerous bends on the track), so if you do happen to catch one, the chances are that it will be full. :rolleyes:

Traffic

gogo the reason why the red line trams are shorter is because the red line is crossing more junctions than the green line. The RPA wanted the red line trams to clear the junction faster therefore reducing delays to vehicles crossing the red line.
In time the red line trams can be extended to match the length of the green line trams, thats why the platforms are all 40 mtrs long it was also seen that one day the lines would be linked 9as originally planned) and that the longer green line trams will be able to operate on the red line

A Dub in Glasgo

Commuting from where to where?

With the current speed restrictions in place in the city centre (I assume they are still in place), I would imagine that commuting from Heuston to city centre is touch and go with the bus. Commuting from Tallaght to Heuston is a different matter (I would imagine).

zap

wait until they lift the speed restrictions in the city and they will be going every 5 mins in the new year

Traffic

I think theres not a speed restriction as such but drivers for the moment have been told that safety is to come before keeping to the timetable
As you said zap this should be lifted in the new year therefore commuting times should be reduced
Athough there should be an increased service for the weeks coming up to christmas

leonlafrite

I contacted LUAS customer support and asked them when the bus system (commuter bus interchange as they like to call it ...)will be setup from the red cow.

I was told that it is already up and running and that numerous buses are available from the red cow stop...

There are only 2 stops:

-For the first one, buses are going in the direction of the City center (at the Ibis hotel), this stop is designed to get you at the red cow.

- In order To get to the second one, you have to walk for 10 minutes (crossing NAAS rd on a temporary bridge which I'll bet you will still be there in 10 years) from the red cow before to get there...

So in reality, there is only ONE bus stop available, hardly a commuter bus interchange.
Believe it or not The LUAS representative told me that this WILL NOT CHANGE, EVER...

I will walk (no choice), but I think they could at least have the honesty to say that there are NO buses available AT the red cow Stop...and if they do not want to do this, at least not call this stop a commuter bus interchange....

After all they do not need any customers from Clondalkin...the tram is always full with users from Tallaght anyway...

Genghis

Anyone know when they are going to start dedicated Heuston/Connolly trams only?

I had also noticed that not once has the Luas beaten the Bus for 'earliest departure' from Heuston city bound. But then, in general the bus service from Heuston is very well organised.

dazberry

I'm in Inchicore / Blackhorse so there is (disappointingly) very little benefit at the moment. I used the Luas for 2 weeks and have gone back to the bus for the time being.

I've timed the Luas on a number of occasions and it took on average just under 29 minutes to get from Connelly to Blackhorse, and for some reason roughly similar from Blackhorse to Abbey St. in the mornings. I have no doubt that beyond Blackhorse things speed up greatly (i.e. Nass Road) and this is where the real benefits are seen.

For me the great benefits are the morning regularity (assuming someone didn't decided to skip a red light and get pranged), the e14 unlimited weekly travel ticket, and the simple fact that the Luas doesn't have the stale damp bus smell.

Against this 4/5 times the buses are regular here inbound, I can get a seat 99/100 (nice in the mornings). Once the Luas works completed (and the EU presidency thing finished), the bus times became much better, and now its on average between 20 to 25 minutes. However it should be noted that it's best to get different routes in (51b/c) vs out (68/69). This morning was a 20 minute run, and the bus arrived parallel with a Luas. They met again at James (Luas does have a slightly longer route), but the bus easily beat it for the remaining segment.

But beyond all that the reason I gave up on the Luas was the cramage at Heuston inbound every morning. TBH I'd like to mix both forms of transport but due to the nature of the ticketing systems it would actually work out pretty expensive. One thing that does annoy me is that the distance to Red 3 is not very far from town by any means yet its still attracts a 1.80 fare - its not fast, its not far - wtf

The biggest irony to all this is that often in the mornings I get the train smell when I go out to feed the birds - you know the one when you're in Heuston Station for example. The reason is that the Inchicore railway works are just as near as the Luas stop. I'm as near to a railway line as I was when I grew up in Raheny. Its a pity really that something so near is so far, and notably with the proposed interconnector I don't think this will change. I am lucky to live reasonably close to the city center (although I don't own where I live) - but never the less, it just amazes me that we get the crap rail line and the crap luas line. Ah sh1te

D.