New Dublin Bus map

Art(h)ur

I came across a new DB map called "Quick guide to key routes & destinations", most likely aimed at tourists and as well as a filler between the previous (2009) schematic network map and a new post-ND one. This one attempts to show selected routes on a simplified version of an actual map (showing major streets only, no names on the main map). Unfortunately, instead of showing the routes as lines along the streets (or any other combination of a diagram and a detailed map), it uses the old-school style of marking the areas and listing the "key" buses serving it. On top of that, on the city centre page, it shows routes by location of stops, which makes for a very complicated read (a testament to the mess that the city centre stops are in). The major issues are however:
- No railways or luas lines are shown on the main map: Heuston station is not marked there at all! (no mention of it in the destination index either).
- Based on that, you would be forgiven for thinking the only way to get to the likes of Bray or Howth is by bus. Dying to see the face of a merry tourist getting on 145 around 5pm to arrive in Bray over an hour later and discover (s)he could have got there much quicker with Dart.
- They're saying the map shows the high frequency routes and routes serving more popular places of interest. So they put on 14s, 33 or 47 (!) but omitted 128 - the only route linking Connolly and SSG (and frequent at that) so should be handy for tourists and locals alike, you would think?
- In the description of ticketing system (which unsurprisingly takes up significant part of the map) they start with the cash fares and only then list prepaid tickets - that's how they are desperate to promote the latter. I would actually question if cash fares should be there at all - add single ride prepaids to the exisiting offer and there is no reason why a tourist would need to pay by cash any more.
- There are a couple of silly errors or omissions, e.g. 33 not serving Santry or Swords, 47 not serving Aviva or Mater being served by 13 and 16 but not by 38 or 46a. There is also the odd IFC Cinema in Temple Bar. Has the person that did the map ever actually been to Dublin?
- And now the punch line: stadiums are marked as theatres, with the usual (for theatres) symbol of comedy and tragedy masks. That's inventive, I have to admit.

Aard

Any link to this, or is it just hard copy?

Victor

I've seen it, its an embarrassment.

Art(h)ur

No sign of it on their website so only hardcopy I'm afraid. I got my one from DB HQ after noticing tourist hanging around town with it, I guess any tourist info should have them as well (at least the one in Suffolk St).

Victor

Art(h)ur wrote: »

No sign of it on their website so only hardcopy I'm afraid.

Yeah, one thing the CIÉ group (and indeed the RPA/Luas) fail to do is join up the paper and on-line content.

For example, both do lots of posters, but fail to put the corresponding material on-line. For example, Dublin Bus did a TaxSaver poster campaign, but I don't think I've ever seen either that design or a a TaxSaver campaign on the website. The thing is, it would cost very little to do as they have the design and text already.

markpb

Art(h)ur wrote: »

No sign of it on their website so only hardcopy I'm afraid. I got my one from DB HQ after noticing tourist hanging around town with it, I guess any tourist info should have them as well (at least the one in Suffolk St).

If it's as bas as you say, it's probably for the best if it remains on paper with limited circulation.

Isn't it about time that the NTA told the operators to stop producing single-operator material and did it properly themselves?

paddyandy

I want a map i can put on the wall and see them at a glance .Possible.Ni feider linn?

LXFlyer

Given that the bus routes are undergoing a complete overhaul, any map produced at the moment would be rendered out of date within a couple of weeks.