Dublin Buses using Port Tunnel redirected down quays

Ginny

Anyone who gets a city bound bus that uses the Port Tunnel might not be aware they are not using EastWall road and Aimens Street anymore. These routes are all redirected past the O2 and up the North quays, which changes quite a chunk of their journey.
No announcement from DB though, nothing on their website, and no answer as to why and if its permanent.

Unshelved

Well for those of us who are temporary (I hope) users of the 33X it's a welcome development because at rush hour it takes about 10-15 minutes off the journey.

Ginny

It actually has added to my journey on both Friday and this morning, also it cuts out all the users who get off the bus on Eastwall rd, Amiens St. and Talbot St.
I think its a joke, DB as usual chopping and changing whenever they feel like it and not informing the people commuting.

dereko1969

What response did you get from Dublin Bus when you rang up to complain?

Ginny

Unfortunately the buses are no longer allowed use East Wall Road as a part of their route, so they now have to use the Quays.

Sorry for the inconvience blah blah blah....

dcr22B

In fact Ginny, DB had surveyed many passengers (myself included) about this and I think for the vast majority of us, it suited more to go down the quays.

It was announced to us by the inspector on the bus one of the days last week or the week before.

Unfortunately, somebody is always going to have to suffer with these things.

Carawaystick

Mrs Carrawaystick said an inspector came on her bus and said they'd done surveys and more people wanted it and it was faster so it was happening the next day.

Jonathan

It was mentioned as we got on last Friday but the driver said it was because East Wall Road was closed or something. I didn't realise it was permanent.

Victor

Is this 33X buses or 747/748?

All are only meant to serve the city centre.

KC61

The regular 33X has never served the Quays.

Jonathan

I was talking about the 142.

Ginny

Well they never surveyed the 41x's I've been on, as for suiting people? an extra 15 minutes on the quays this morning? how could that suit anyone?

dcr22B

Ginny wrote: »

Well they never surveyed the 41x's I've been on, as for suiting people? an extra 15 minutes on the quays this morning? how could that suit anyone?

Ginny, I thought that you were talking about the 33X?

markpb

dcr22B wrote: »

Unfortunately, somebody is always going to have to suffer with these things.

People don't need to suffer if they're informed about changes before they happen.

dcr22B

markpb wrote: »

People don't need to suffer if they're informed about changes before they happen.

What I meant by suffering Mark is that a route change will suit some people and not others just like the original route did likewise.

Fair point however, all I know is that from my point of view, the inspector was informing all outbound 33X passengers of the change and I didn't realise it would affect all DPT bound buses.

MiniD

I heard this change was due to residents on East Wall Road complaining.

As there are no Dublin Bus stops inbound on the quays between the East Link and Tara Street, where are these buses dropping off passengers?

Ginny

dcr22B wrote: »

Ginny, I thought that you were taling about the 33X?

Nope 41x is rerouted too with no warning, from what I could see all buses who used eastwall road are redirected.
As for the stops it seems its at the drivers discrection, Friday, Monday there were no stops from Holywell to outside Pricewaterhousecooper, but this morning the driver did stop right after the light at the Eastwall rd interchange to let off some passengers.

dcr22B

MiniD wrote: »

I heard this change was due to residents on East Wall Road complaining.

As there are no Dublin Bus stops inbound on the quays between the East Link and Tara Street, where are these buses dropping off passengers?

There are at least two Dublin Bus stops inbound from the East Link to Tara Street or they are being dropped at the Bus Eireann stops on the same road.

MiniD

dcr22B wrote: »

There are at least two Dublin Bus stops inbound from the East Link to Tara Street or they are being dropped at the Bus Eireann stops on the same road.

Where on the quays are the "Dublin Bus" bus stops?

dcr22B

MiniD wrote: »

Where on the quays are the "Dublin Bus" bus stops?

As you're coming in from the O2, there is one opposite the Clarion and further down opposite Jurys Inn.

They may not have the tops on them (maybe decommissioned) but they're yellow so the buses have stopped at them.

Dub13

MiniD wrote: »

I heard this change was due to residents on East Wall Road complaining.

Yes this is true,I was talking to a driver of a DPT route the other days.Its crazy as there is a weight restriction on a stretch of the road only about 50 yards long and one or two houses on the East Wall road have made the traffic corps implement this.

Ginny

Seriously? thats crazy the buses have been going down that road for ages, I've used the route for over and year, and I'm sure they were using the road for a good while before that.
It would have been nice for them to officially announce it, especially if t was an ongoing issue, Would have given some of their customers time to figure out a new commute.

Dub13

Ginny wrote: »

Seriously? thats crazy the buses have been going down that road for ages, I've used the route for over and year, and I'm sure they were using the road for a good while before that.
It would have been nice for them to officially announce it, especially if t was an ongoing issue, Would have given some of their customers time to figure out a new commute.

Apparently its fine up the the junction with the Alfie Byrne road,the small section between that junction and the road before the bridge is the weight restriction part....sure the 53 bus uses the rest of the road.So as I said its only a small part of the road maybe 500 feet at most.

I suppose they cat officially announce that they have been braking the law for the last couple of years and will stop now.I think its ridiculous putting so many people out for the sake of a few feet,as I said the Dublin Bus number 53 uses the same road.

Victor

Scheduled bus services are exempt from ordinary weight restrictions (unless they fear a quay collapse or similar in which case they would likely close the road).

Dub13

Victor wrote: »

Scheduled bus services are exempt from ordinary weight restrictions (unless they fear a quay collapse or similar in which case they would likely close the road).

Thats what I taught aswell,its a strange one.

Jonathan

What route are the 41x and 142 taking out of town in the evenings? To Abbey Street as normal and then down along the quays?

Ginny

Nah the usual route up gardiner st, through drumcondra, up swords rd and then the M1, which is whole other pain in the arse, the 41x doesn't use the Port Tunnel due to the Swords Express dispute.

Jonathan

Notice on dublinbus.ie about 142's.

Heart

Does this effect any other route except the 142?

According to the 41x timetable the stops are:
"Feltrim Hall
via Port Tunnel
D'Olier St."

Therefore there is no stop from Feltrim Hall until D'Olier St., so using East Wall Road or The North Quay makes no difference for this route...

H

Ginny

It does make a difference, the 41x did stop on Eastwall rd and Amiens st and talbot st. every single stop isn't listed on the timetable, but it did stop there.

Victor

I'm informed its a height issue.

Jonathan

Victor wrote: »

I'm informed its a height issue.

Going under the DART line?

Victor

Yes.

Dub13

Victor wrote: »

I'm informed its a height issue.

I think thats wrong,as I said the Dublin bus number 53 goes under that bridge and thats always a double decker.

Ginny

Looks like they've changed their mind again, 41x will be following the modified 142 route now too.
http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/News-Centre/Travel-News/Route-41x/

netwhizkid

Whether this is of relevance to the thread or not.

Today I took the Airlink from Heuston Station via Busarus and the Port Tunnel to the Airport. During the stop as Busarus the drivers were chatting and they were discussing how from this monday The easlink road is having roadworks and there will be a three tonne limit applied meaning the cannot use the port tunnel. They said something about going through Drumcondra and "that being fun".

Eavesdropping on Dublin bus drivers since 2009.

KC61

Victor wrote: »

I'm informed its a height issue.

Why? The 142 and 41X have been going that way for a couple of years. Has the bridge suddenly sunk lower?

KC61

Dub13 wrote: »

I think thats wrong,as I said the Dublin bus number 53 goes under that bridge and thats always a double decker.

Correct!

meanmachine3

it actually is a height issue, while the 53 may well go that route most of the buses are single deckers on that route. also there are a variety of different types of buses on that service probably including the tri-axel buses.
any of you that have used this service will know that the bus goes under something in the shape of a goal post with some sort of chains hanging down.
the guards have got onto dublin bus and informed them that the buses that do the rail run have to stop using that section of the road.

MiniD

meanmachine3 wrote: »

it actually is a height issue, while the 53 may well go that route most of the buses are single deckers on that route. also there are a variety of different types of buses on that service probably including the tri-axel buses.

The 53 is always double deck operated, usually by AV type vehicles. Besides, there is very little height difference between vehicles.

Heart is right, it really shouldn't make a difference which route the 41X takes. The first stop in the city centre is D'Olier Street. Any passenger paying the higher fare should not have to stop at any stop between Swords and D'Olier Street. Perhaps there is demand for the service to stop more, but the fact is it shouldn't. I used to use the 27X, and for a while, some drivers thought they served every stop between the city centre and Belfield. Some passengers kicked up and pointed out the timetable and the fact it was supposed to be express.

meanmachine3

MiniD wrote: »

Heart is right, it really shouldn't make a difference which route the 41X takes. The first stop in the city centre is D'Olier Street. Any passenger paying the higher fare should not have to stop at any stop between Swords and D'Olier Street. Perhaps there is demand for the service to stop more, but the fact is it shouldn't. I used to use the 27X, and for a while, some drivers thought they served every stop between the city centre and Belfield. Some passengers kicked up and pointed out the timetable and the fact it was supposed to be express.

i totally agree, why have an express bus if it's going to be using all/most stops into town. it should pick up in the area they start from only i.e. swords, malahide, coolock, lucan or where ever else. then next stop should only be city centre.also alot of drivers would'nt be familiar with the X routes myself included. i have had the pleasure of working an X route recently. i hadn't the foggiest where i was going or where any of the stops were. the only thing i knew was the fare and thats because it was on my machine. i had to nab a passenger and ask them to show me the route and stops.
now getting back to the o.p.'s question.
to cut this fine and short.
the guards from strore street or whatever stn looks after the east wall road have gotton onto D.B. and told them that the buses coming from the tunnel have to stop using the east wall road.
plain and simple. this is nothing to do with the drivers or D.B.

Ginny

Without being smart the bus is not servicing every stop between Swords and D'olier St its uses the Port Tunnel for gods sake!!!, and tbh unless you've driven or used the route you won't have a clue what the problem is. Plain and simple it HAS got to do with DB, they cannot chop and change the route without informing the paying customers, thankfully finally they have released a statement. Commuters have no contract with the Garda, they have a contract with DB and it's up to DB to keep them informed.

MiniD

Ginny wrote: »

Plain and simple it HAS got to do with DB, they cannot chop and change the route without informing the paying customers,

They haven't chopped and changed the route. It shouldn't matter which route the bus takes, so long as it's direct. According to the 41X timetable, the first stop after the bus leaves the Port Tunnel is D'olier Street. Whether the bus travels via East Wall, Sheriff Street or North Wall Quay is irrelevant. If drivers are letting people off at other stops then there is clearly a problem with the 41X timetable as displayed by Dublin Bus. If I was paying an increased fare to travel on an express bus to the D'Olier Street, I'd be pretty annoyed if it stopped at East Wall, Amiens Street and Talbot Street etc.

meanmachine3

the reason why buses cant use this stretch of the road is becuause as i stated earlier it's a height restriction. also there is a sign saying cars only and a 3 ton vehicle restriction sign. while the 53's do service that area they do not use that part of the road as far as i'm aware. when they come from the point depot they turn left onto east road and go through the housing esates and comes out at west road just beside the railway bridge.

KC61

The height restriction is at the railway bridge, which the 53 (generally EV or AV operated) goes under every day, so that is not the issue.

I think the issue relates to the stretch of road between Alfie Byrne Road and the railway bridge where the 3 ton restriction may apply.