[PR] Dempsey unveils Galway bus plan

Victor

http://www.transport.ie/viewitem.asp?id=9525&lang=ENG&loc=2126

Minister Dempsey launches new buses and a new service for Galway City
2 August 2007

Mr Noel Dempsey TD, Minister for Transport today launched the first phase of Transport 21 funded buses in Galway City aimed at improving public transport services for the people of Galway.

Speaking today Minister Dempsey said: "This Government is committed to improving the public transport network for everyone to use. I want to see more modern, reliable, accessible and environmentally friendly buses on the streets of cities and towns all over the country. I want communities like Doughiska here in Galway to enjoy a top quality bus service that meets their needs. Government funding under Transport 21 is now helping to make that happen."

Minister Dempsey added; "Today marks the launch by Bus Eireann of an ambitious customer focused plan to upgrade Galway city and commuter bus services. Other cities and towns right across the country are similarly set to enjoy improvements to services under Transport 21. That's what I want for the Irish travelling public safe, reliable public transport that more people will want to use. Bus Eireann's announcement today is very welcome in that regard."

http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/breaking/10855814?view=Eircomnet&cat=Breaking%20News

Dempsey unveils Galway bus plan
From ireland.com
12:36 Thursday, 2nd August, 2007

The first phase of an improved bus and commuter coach service for Galway city was officially unveiled today.

Some 54 new vehicles are envisaged by 2009, servicing Galway city and outlying towns such as Gort, Claregalway and Moycullen.

Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey today marked the introduction of 12 new buses on the Doughiska to Parkmore route. Thousands of new residential properties have been built in Doughiska in recent years, and Parkmore is a major centre of employment.

Three new buses are already in service and by autumn, a further nine will be operating every 15 minutes between 7am and 7pm Monday to Saturday and half hourly on Sundays.

All the new buses are biofuel compatible and are intended to run on a 5 per cent blend once supply arrangements are in place. They also have low-floor access meaning, all Bus Éireann's Galway city fleet is wheelchair accessible.

Bus Éireann chief executive Tim Hayes said: "As the fleet comes on stream, we will be improving timetables on city and commuter routes, moving to a 15-minute frequency on city routes."

Demand has risen considerably on commuter routes, Mr Hayes added. Services will run every half hour at peak times on these routes.

The vehicles are among the 235 being provided by Bus Éireann under the Government's Transport 21 strategy.

Mr Dempsey said: "Today marks the launch by Bus Éireann of an ambitious customer focused plan to upgrade Galway city and commuter bus services. Other cities and towns right across the country are similarly set to enjoy improvements to services under Transport 21."

New radial routes into and out of the city centre improving punctuality will be rolled out over two phases by 2009, with some routes revamped and directed away from the city centre to avoid congestion.

The new routes will use existing and new bus lanes.

Chris_533976

How about spending some cash to replace the Irish style bus-stops (a pole in the ground) with bus shelters too?

Sick of standing in the rain at the bus stop where the timetable is two years out of date.

Dont get 12 new buses, get 10 instead and spend the money saved on the 2 upgrading the busstops.

bk

While I agree with you that there should be more bus shelters, I disagree that it should be at the expense of buses. I'd rather wait 15 minutes in the rain then 30 minutes under a shelter.

Anyway surely BE should be able to pay for bus shelters from the advertising they put on them.

dowlingm

In Toronto the city offers a contract for "street furniture" including bus shelters - the Transit Commission doesn't have responsibility for them. The ad company then is responsible for building them in exchange for the right to advertise. CBS Viacom had the contract which is now being taken over by Astral for a 20 year term. It's a bit like the JC Desaux contract for bikes in Dublin.

It's a pretty contentious topic, especially since most of the bidders operate illegal signs and the city chickened out of making it a tender requirement that all their other signs be legalised or removed.

One of my bugbears is that the shelters downtown seem to be in great shape but out in the burbs where buses are really necessary the shelters are small, old and crap but because you won't get much money for ads there's no incentive for the ad companies to replace them.

John R

All the shelters in Dublin are owned and maintained by Adshel Clear Channel on behalf of CIE. I don't know who owns the small amount that are sited in the rest of the country, though.

The main obstacles to putting up more are space and planning permission. Try to put up a bus shelters on the public highways and the NIMBYS turn up en-masse.

Chris_533976

What do NIMBYs have against bus shelters?

Victor

John R wrote:

All the shelters in Dublin are owned and maintained by Adshel Clear Channel on behalf of CIE. I don't know who owns the small amount that are sited in the rest of the country, though.

Some seem to be actually owned by the city council. They have a distinctly different design.

randylonghorn

Chris_533976 wrote:

What do NIMBYs have against bus shelters?

Excuse my ignorance, but what ARE "NIMBYs"?

Victor

Not In My Back Yard. Snobs.

randylonghorn

Thanks, Victor.

Jaysus, haven't some people little to be giving out about!

murphaph

The bus stops currently favoured in Dublin are really nice, but as usual are prone to attacks by mindless vandalists.

MLM

Chris_533976 wrote:

What do NIMBYs have against bus shelters?

I think certain people expect them to attract wino's and junkies?

Victor

lol @ underlined section.

http://www.buseireann.ie/site/news_centre/press_centre.asp?action=view&news_id=557

Transport Minister and Bus Éireann Chief in Galway

Transport Minister and Bus Éireann Chief in Galway to Mark the Entry of the first tranche of Transport 21 vehicles into the Bus Éireann Galway city bus fleet & the start of the improved Bus Éireann Doughiska service.

- New buses and the new service enabled by Transport 21 -

Transport Minister Noel Dempsey TD & Bus Éireann CEO Tim Hayes will be in Galway on Thursday August 2nd 2007 to officially mark the entry of the first tranche of Transport 21 vehicles into the Galway city bus fleet – and the start of the first service improvement in Galway under Transport 21, the high frequency Doughiska service.

To mark the occasion, a photo call will take place on board one of the new 2007 city buses on Eyre Square West at 10.30am.

- New Buses Entering Service in Galway –

The implementation of an ambitious plan by Bus Éireann to upgrade Galway city and commuter bus services, underpinned by Transport 21, (and unveiled in the city in February of this year) is now underway. As part of the first phase of Transport 21, 12 new city buses are to be introduced to the Bus Éireann Galway city fleet, 3 of which are now in service and are being utilised on the new improved Doughiska service (details below). The remainder, 9 buses, will be added to the Galway city fleet in the autumn. An additional 3 accessible commuter coaches will enter service in 2008. Phases 2 and 3 will see more vehicles coming on stream. It is envisaged a total of 54 new vehicles will enter the Galway fleet between now and 2009, enabling many service improvements to take place.

Bus Éireann CEO Tim Hayes said: “More buses are enabling Bus Éireann to improve services. In Galway an important expansion of services is planned between now and 2008 – due to the investment in new vehicles under Transport 21. As the fleet comes on stream, we will be improving timetables on city and commuter routes, moving to a fifteen minute frequency on city routes and also significantly improving the frequency of services on Commuter routes such as Moycullen, Claregalway and Gort, where demand has risen considerably in recent years.”

- Benefits of new Transport 21 Buses–

• New buses will enable Bus Éireann to significantly improve frequency of service, providing customers with more departures and more options.

• New buses are low floor wheelchair accessible and their introduction will make the Bus Éireann Galway City bus fleet 100% low floor wheelchair accessible.

• New buses are bio fuel compatible with cleaner ‘Euro 4’ lower emissions engines.

• New buses are 2007 vehicles, contemporary in design and will offer customers an enhanced journey and will enhance the image of the city.

• New buses have 8 high-spec digital CCTV cameras on board to provide a safer environment for staff and customers.

- Specification of new City Buses-

New buses are 2007 Volvo Wrights Eclipse city buses and are manufactured in Northern Ireland by Wrights of Ballymena, Co. Antrim.

- New Transport 21 Vehicles enabling the Provision of Better Bus Services –

The introduction of new buses and coaches under Transport 21 is enabling Bus Éireann to improve services in Galway city and region. An important expansion of services is planned between now and 2009. As the new fleet enters service on a phased basis, Bus Éireann will be improving timetables on Galway city and commuter routes. The introduction of a fifteen minute frequency is planned for city routes. The introduction of a half hourly frequency is planned for Commuter routes (such as Moycullen, Claregalway and Gort, where demand has risen considerably in recent years. These areas currently have a service every three hours.

The Doughiska service is the first of series of service upgrades planned. Other services improvements are also en route and will mean that by the end of 2008 city and commuter services in Galway will operate on a much regular basis. After Doughiska, the next route in line for an upgrade is the Bothar an Choiste route.

- First Improvement under Transport 21: The new High Frequency Doughiska Service

The first service improvement by Bus Éireann under Transport 21 will officially commence on August 2nd 2007 with the official launch by Minister Noel Dempsey of a new, high frequency service between the city and Doughiska, the fastest- growing community in Galway.

Previously operating on an hourly basis, the frequency of the Doughiska service has been increased to operate every 15 minutes. This level of service applies not just at peak hours but right throughout the day, from 07.00 to 19.00hrs Monday to Saturday. Sunday services have also been boosted to operate every 30 minutes, from just 4 services a day. This new service operates via the Dublin Road and Doughiska Road to the Parkmore roundabout and returns via the same route thereby taking full advantage of the Dublin Road Bus Lane. Passengers intending to travel to Parkmore should now use this service rather than the Castle Park service as is currently the case.

The service frequency has been stepped up to provide for growing demand in Doughiska - a rapidly developing area - and is directly facilitated by the new buses coming into the Bus Éireann fleet under Transport 21, the governments’ ten year investment programme in public transport and infrastructure.


- Improving Punctuality of Galway City Bus Services -

In addition, Bus Eireann has revealed it plans to provide new radial routes into and out of the city centre, to improve punctuality and reliability of service. It aims to revamp routes and move away from cross-city routes which are prone to being affected by city congestion.

- Bus Lanes Remains Crucial to providing a Better Service - The key to attracting people to public transport is to provide a frequent service, but also a fast and reliable service. New buses will enable Bus Éireann to improve the service frequency but more bus lanes are crucial to improving the speeds and giving buses a head start over cars. Where they have that vital advantage, people make the switch to the bus. More bus lanes will enable customers to benefit more from fleet investment and their continued roll-out remains crucial.

Chris_533976

Saw one the other day. Noticed that the display at the front is VERY clear.

So long as the drivers remember to switch their destination correctly it'll be ok. (the number of times I've seen buses travelling in Galway with their destination set to the end of the route they've just come from is stupid. Misleading and unnecessary and almost caused two people I knew to miss an exam)

Zoney

John R wrote:

The main obstacles to putting up more are space and planning permission. Try to put up a bus shelters on the public highways and the NIMBYS turn up en-masse.

There are brand new sections of roads not near anyone's back yard where the powers that be just haven't bothered to put a bus shelter (or indeed in some cases, a bus stop bay, or even occasionally a fixed bus stop sign - but rather one concreted into a barrel).

Chris_533976

..at a 15degree angle, no doubt

spacetweek

New radial routes into and out of the city centre improving punctuality will be rolled out over two phases by 2009, with some routes revamped and directed away from the city centre to avoid congestion.

Good idea.

Zoney wrote:

There are brand new sections of roads not near anyone's back yard where the powers that be just haven't bothered to put a bus shelter (or indeed in some cases, a bus stop bay, or even occasionally a fixed bus stop sign - but rather one concreted into a barrel).

Can't say I've ever seen that.

Poxyshamrock

Chris_533976 wrote:

Saw one the other day. Noticed that the display at the front is VERY clear.

So long as the drivers remember to switch their destination correctly it'll be ok. (the number of times I've seen buses travelling in Galway with their destination set to the end of the route they've just come from is stupid. Misleading and unnecessary and almost caused two people I knew to miss an exam)

hey chris are the buses you've seen the new purple "streetcars"?

KC61

Poxyshamrock wrote:

hey chris are the buses you've seen the new purple "streetcars"?

The streetcars have yet to be even ordered!! The concept is still under evaluation.

The new buses are low-floor bodied by Wrights of Ballymena on a Volvo Eclipse chassis.

markpb

Will BE in Galway have the same middle-door phobia that DB have in Dublin?

Chris_533976

Poxyshamrock wrote:

hey chris are the buses you've seen the new purple "streetcars"?

Nah just normal buses that are newer, look shinier and have a new (and good) destination display

Also they aren't full of rubbish, graffiti or bits hanging off yet

Chris_533976

markpb wrote:

Will BE in Galway have the same middle-door phobia that DB have in Dublin?

Yeah front doors only And the usual crap of people trying to force their way onto the bus while people with prams are still trying to get off Though the drivers seem to be getting wise to this and frequently tell people to move back until the bus is emptied.

Again, that wouldn't be such an issue if you had bus shelters. When you're standing in the pouring rain because the bus is late and theres no bus shelters, a lot of people (not me) do not want to wait for the slow moving old lady to get off the bus, so they barge their way on.

markpb

Screw the new buses. If they want people to make the change to bus, the most important things are:

- bus lanes, really good ones, segregated where possible. I'm a huge fan of contra-median lanes.

- bus lanes that don't end before junctions and start 100m after.

- bus lanes that don't finish operation at 7pm while there is still traffic, or that don't apply at weekends and sundays while buses are stuck in traffic (maybe this is a Dublin thing), or that are suspended by Gardai every time there's a GAA match on.

- priority at junctions

- bus boarders at bus stops so buses can pull in without having to naviagate past illegally parked cars, leaving them nose-in so they can't use middle doors

- cameras on the buses or bus lanes for bus lane enforcement

- gardai on the bus lanes for bus lane enforcement

- cameras or gardai at junctions for yellow box enforcement

Without every one of those conditions, all the fancy buses in the world will leave Galway with the same, pitiful, grasping at straws service that Dublin has. All they have to do is take any of the documents produced by TfL and the British DoT and apply them properly. Red paint and bus lane signs won't do the job.

KC61

markpb wrote:

Screw the new buses. If they want people to make the change to bus, the most important things are:

- bus lanes, really good ones, segregated where possible. I'm a huge fan of contra-median lanes.

- bus lanes that don't end before junctions and start 100m after.

- bus lanes that don't finish operation at 7pm while there is still traffic, or that don't apply at weekends and sundays while buses are stuck in traffic (maybe this is a Dublin thing), or that are suspended by Gardai every time there's a GAA match on.

- priority at junctions

- bus boarders at bus stops so buses can pull in without having to naviagate past illegally parked cars, leaving them nose-in so they can't use middle doors

- cameras on the buses or bus lanes for bus lane enforcement

- gardai on the bus lanes for bus lane enforcement

- cameras or gardai at junctions for yellow box enforcement

Without every one of those conditions, all the fancy buses in the world will leave Galway with the same, pitiful, grasping at straws service that Dublin has. All they have to do is take any of the documents produced by TfL and the British DoT and apply them properly. Red paint and bus lane signs won't do the job.

That's all well and good, but looking at each of the roads into Eyre Square last week I'd challenge anyone to fit bus lanes onto any of the main approaches for the last 1-1.5 miles which is where most if not all of the congestion is. Perhaps making a route entirely a public transport corridor (with access only restrictions) could be an option, a radical one at that, but there really is no roadspace to segregate buses and cars.

Chris_533976

I'd make all the area around Eyre Sq and the surrounding streets pedestrian only, with buses allowed. Might be impossible but it would be good.

I would ban all parking on Eglinton street though, that place is a disaster for buses to get through.