Ashbourne to Dublin, 103 Route Changes

solice

I read recently in the Ashbourne Community News (It is a page turner!) that there will be changes made to the 103 service before the end of the year, namely the route!

The terminus for the route will be Wilton Terrace and not Beresford Place. Apparently they will be handing out leaflets 2 weeks before it happens but I havent seen any and I cant find anything online. Considering its supposed to happen before year end...does anyone have an info on dates and timetables and whether or not it is true?

Other things in the article that were mentioned:

• 11 new double deckers have been ordered
• GPS on all buses with electronic displays at major stops indicating when the next bus will be, April 2009
• text messaging service, text in route and bus stop number and you will get a reply indicating when the next 3 busses will be there, April 2009
• the 103 route will be the test route for an experimnetal integrated ticketing service for all(?) public transport in Dublin, 2010

The bad news, Bus Eireann have applied for an increase in fares, I can only assume its the 20% that was in the news recently. Makes the cost of getting in and out of Dublin from Ashbourne very expensive:

Current Cost V Potential New Cost

• Single Ticket 4.50 Vs 5.40
• Return Ticket 6.10 Vs 7.32
• 10 Journey Ticket 28.80 Vs 34.56

AlekSmart

All good stuff on first glance,but as with everything in this Republic it needs further consideration.

The single greatest risk with this plan is the extension to Wilton Terrace.

The current popularity of Wilton Tce as a Bus Terminus stems solely from Dublin City Council`s crusade to rid the Capital`s streets of Bus Termini.

Thus we have Bus Atha Cliath`s 92 and 140 currently terminating there,recently joined by Bus Eireann`s 100X and now the 103.

By any standards there are a substantial number of EXTRA Bus movements now superimposed upon the Wilton Tce/Leeson St/Stephens Green/Dawson St "QBC" alignment.

However as yet I am unaware of ANY measures in place to cater for these EXTRA Bus movements AND the passenger footfall which will accompany it. (HINT: Examine the signal timings and road markings at the Leeson St/Pembroke St junction,particularly at PM hours)

For the 103 customer this could mean the collapse of what is at present a relatively reliable service as the journey from Wilton Tce to the current Beresford Place location could take substantially longer than the present ENTIRE Dublin-Ashbourne stretch.

That is assuming that Bus Eireann have not jumped on board the Bus Atha Cliath bandwagon by sending the 103 via O Connell St (I very much hope not !! :eek:)

From what I can make out it is yet again a stand alone decision of the Bus Company approved after the usual pregnant pause by a disinterested Dept of Transport.

I would strongly recommend an in depth study of that short new stretch of routing BEFORE the new alteration is activated because it has the potential to DESTROY the service and cost the company dearly.

Bus Eireann should perhaps enquire as to the reason for many of Bus Atha Cliath`s route 140 departures operating from the Burlington Hotel instead of Wilton Tce (HINT:Observe the evening peak traffic flow along Cumberland Rd/Fitzwilliam Place/Leeson St and TIME it).

This sort of basic infrastructural alteration which has the acpacity to benefit SO many really needs to be addressed in an Integrated Multi Agency way with nothing being attempted UNLESS all elements are agreed and in place.....Whats the chances of that here.???? :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

JayeL

As a user of the 103 every day, I would welcome the route starting from a southside location. Most Dublin Bus routes to the northside start on the southside and vice versa, so it makes sense. Furthermore, as long as it stops at Dawson St (like the 100) and the same services are in the vicinity of Beresford Place at the current times, I think everyone wins.

That said, they need to put in more stops in Ashbourne. We need a stop at The Briars and Johnswood northbound and Rath Lodge and Baldara Court southbound.

If there's another price increase on this already-overpriced service, I'm done with the bus. At least driving is reliable.

decob

On one hand i think it could be good - esp if every bus coming in from ashbourne has to end up there - nothing worst than in the past buses stopping on gardiner street or right up the top (bottom - parnel street end) of o'connell street on a cold sat night when you have to head toward temple bar or stephens green direction... ooh and as i work up near wilton - so getting any bus rather than a stephens green/ucd get a thumbs up in my book.

But on the other hand, how much extra time is this going to add to the route in the evening on the way home, in rush hour traffic. Will it follow a similar route to the 140 or maybe head towards it's current route. Presently it can be a pain esp when your stuck on gardiner street. So that would be my major concern.

As for the fair increase - don't get me start on that...

Capri

However as yet I am unaware of ANY measures in place to cater for these EXTRA Bus movements AND the passenger footfall which will accompany it. (HINT: Examine the signal timings and road markings at the Leeson St/Pembroke St junction,particularly at PM hours)

One of the craziest junctions in Dublin, 2 green lights at right angles, I've seen cars cross straight over from Pembroke St to Hatch st, ah well, we need a few lives lost before DCC will change that junction.

WHAT is it with Dept of Transport / Bus co's that plan routes that jam up buses - eg 1) Swords Express has to crawl up Custom Hse Qy, over to Burgh Qy, back over to Eden Qy when it could come along IFSC Mayor St, pick up and be back out along Custom Hse Qy in jig time ! 2) 145 from Mountjoy Sq, what a crawl until it reaches Nassau St ( you'd get a DART from Connolly to Bray that time !!! )

Ste.phen

They could / should probably consider a routing via Fitzwilliam St / Merrion Square / Ely Place / Stephen's Green instead, or even Fitzwilliam St, Merrion Square, Westland Row, Pearse St, Tara St.

That first one would suit me down to the ground as a 140 user, too
(And yes, that junction up at Leeson St is obscene, if a 140 leaves wilton place and you *just* miss it, i've found it's handy enough to walk to Dawson St and catch it there without and rushing needed

brettmirl

Why does Bus Eireann still operate this route?

Was there not talks before the last election that Dublin Bus were taking it over? To make it a cheaper and more frequent service?

Dublin Bus already operate the Nitelink to Ashbourne, so why not the regular bus service too?

They also operate to Bray and Maynooth which are further away from Dublin City Centre than Ashbourne is (well according to AA's Route Planner anyway)

Ashbourne: 22.69km
Maynooth: 25.27km
Bray: 30.74km

JayeL

mick_irl wrote: »

Why does Bus Eireann still operate this route?

EXACTLY! I made that point in an open letter to the Ashbourne News, put up posters illustrating how closer we were to Dublin than other places with DB, wrote to politicians. Nothing. No response from anyone, either bus users or politicians. It's perfectly obvious that BE shouldn't be on the route; we should only be paying the 18.50 unlimited DB network-wide 5 day ticket instead of BE's 28.80 five return journey ticket for one service only.

There were no talks for DB to replace BE though, unfortunately. Labour & FG proposed a flat 1 per journey fare within the Greater Dublin Area, which might have brought about a de-facto DB service to us, but we ended up with Thomas "Who?" Byrne and FF continued to FF-up everything.

Btw, we were promised express buses to Dublin (103X) and the Airport by the end of 2008. Neither has come to pass, along with the long-promised extra buses. With Harristown half the distance to Ash as Broadstone, someone needs to remove those jokers from our town and bring in DB.

Apols for rant, anyone wanna start a "Bus Eireann Ashbourne disaster stories" thread??

Colm R

I'm new to this route, and I must admit so far I do like the service. For the most part it, operates on time as advertised, the drivers are courteous and the buses are clean and warm. So in principle, I would like BE to continue operating the service.

That said, I would also like the same advantages that others who are just as far or further from O’Connell Street, such as Maynooth, Bray, Balbriggan etc. enjoy.

I continue my journey on the Dart, so would prefer to buy a single ticket, like the Bus & Rail ticket which IE and DB operate. I see no reason why this cannot be in place now, no less in 2010. Especially when you consider that IE, BE & DB are, in reality, one company. €28.80 is expensive and more than what someone in Maynooth has to pay.

I wonder, if possible, could I complain to the Consumer authority that people in Ashbourne are being discriminated against, in comparison to other equidistant areas.

Also, if DB start to operate the route, would it then be the case that the bus would have to stop at all bus stops between the N2-M50 Jnct and the city center. The fact that the bus does nip along the Finglas road overtaking other DB services is something I like about this route.

Ste.phen

They could just not stop on the Finglas Road on the way in, as BE do now?
I use the 40/140 and while we could use a little more capacity in peak times, the service is basically grand!

brettmirl

JayeL wrote: »

Btw, we were promised express buses to Dublin (103X) and the Airport by the end of 2008. Neither has come to pass, along with the long-promised extra buses. With Harristown half the distance to Ash as Broadstone, someone needs to remove those jokers from our town and bring in DB.

They did start the express to the airport (the 107X I think). However, they never told anyone about it.

Anytime I saw it pass through Ashbourne, there were never more than 2-5 people on it.

It's since been suspended under the Transport 21/Budget cut backs.

markpb

Ste.phen wrote: »

They could just not stop on the Finglas Road on the way in, as BE do now?

I don't think you can have it both ways. You can either have a suburban service that has limited stops and low frequency or a city service with all-stops but a higher frequency.

Ste.phen

markpb wrote: »

I don't think you can have it both ways. You can either have a suburban service that has limited stops and low frequency or a city service with all-stops but a higher frequency.

Why not all stops to the M50, limited after that?
In fact, why don't all outer suburban routes operate like that, with high frequency all-stops routes on the radial routes closer to the city?

JayeL

Colm R wrote: »

I'm new to this route, and I must admit so far I do like the service. For the most part it, operates on time as advertised, the drivers are courteous and the buses are clean and warm. So in principle, I would like BE to continue operating the service..

Not sure if we're getting the same service! Sure, the buses are clean and warm - well done, BE. But the drivers range from grumpy to downright hostile - plus they only have 4 stops in the town, their timetable is imaginary, their timekeeping is deplorable, they simply don't have customer service, they charge 5 for a 20km journey and I'm writing this from Beresford Place, where there's been no bus at 19.10 or 19.20 and judging by the amount of people waiting (at least 50), there hasn't been one for a while.

Sorry Colm, you must be the exception that proves the rule because BE are awful and always have been. Have to stop typing now as it's starting to rain and all 50 of us won't fit under the shelter....

AlekSmart

I just hope JayeL`s 103 is`nt stuck somewhere in depest Leeson St land with it`s grumpy oul shyyte of a driver gettin even grumpier knowin whats awaitin him at Libberty Hall !!!

JayeL

Speak of the divvil, Alek! Bus arrived and at the top of Gardiner St now, grumpy driver alright though!

seawoman

I finish work almost every day arround 19.10 , in CIty centrum, bus from City To Ashbourne it is 19.10 and 19.20 I would like ask - why it is diference only 10min ?

After it is long break, because next bus it is at 20:00

So every day wait arround 35 min


Why it is only 10min difference ? For customer it is horrrible. Every another time diference beetween bus is 20min, that is fine.

KC61

The 1920 service is an extra departure added that continues to Duleek.