Bus Eireann routes 109/109A Changes

pauraic1990

Hi all,

I just found this now.

For 109 Dublin-Dunshaughlin-Navan-Kell-Cavan
http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1318258339-109.pdf
For 109A Dublin Airport-DCU-Ashbourne-Ratoath-Dunshaughlin-Navan-Kell
http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1318260717-109A.pdf

What did you think of this improvement?

For me as a regular 109A commuter to DCU. I find it better and it leave 10 min later so no more rushing getting out to catch the bus in the morning even though it alway arrive late.

piperh

Nice idea but as its 40mins from Kells to Cavan doing the speed limit so unless Bus Eireann intend to break it theres no way this timetable can be right.

foggy_lad

piperh wrote: »

Nice idea but as its 40mins from Kells to Cavan doing the speed limit so unless Bus Eireann intend to break it theres no way this timetable can be right.

Many of the new timetables make no sense or have poor timings that are just not logical or practical or not possible in some cases

The Maverick

It's good to see some tweaking of this timetable, the current one simply does not work. The bus is guranteed to be at least 10 minutes late on a good day, it just cannot complete the route in the alloted time.

tom23

The Maverick wrote: »

It's good to see some tweaking of this timetable, the current one simply does not work. The bus is guranteed to be at least 10 minutes late on a good day, it just cannot complete the route in the alloted time.

Good to see some tweaking if you are living in Kells and beyond. Yet again the commuters of Navan are treated like second class citizens. Not only do we now get to see the scenic route of Navan by Kentstown and Johnstown Road, we also get to stop in the great but always busy Blanchardstown Shopping Centre.

This little detour is sure to add at least 10 / 15 minutes onto the journey time and will be an absolute nightmare come Christmas. So we are back to the bad old days of commuting from Navan. And they want bums on seats, Sillan tours get ready for a huge increase in business.

I would love to know who exactly are Bus Eireann catering for? Out of the five peak time buses from 5:50 to 7:05 can at least one of them be an express that just bypasses Clonee and the now propsed Blanchardstown SC? Is this to much to ask?

Seroiulsy peed of with this. Cant affored a car and by jaysus if I could I would straight away. Any other commuters from Navan please feel free to ad to this thread.

LXFlyer

tom23 wrote: »

Good to see some tweaking if you are living in Kells and beyond. Yet again the commuters of Navan are treated like second class citizens. Not only do we now get to see the scenic route of Navan by Kentstown and Johnstown Road, we also get to stop in the great but always busy Blanchardstown Shopping Centre.

This little detour is sure to add at least 10 / 15 minutes onto the journey time and will be an absolute nightmare come Christmas. So we are back to the bad old days of commuting from Navan. And they want bums on seats, Sillan tours get ready for a huge increase in business.

I would love to know who exactly are Bus Eireann catering for? Out of the five peak time buses from 5:50 to 7:05 can at least one of them be an express that just bypasses Clonee and the now propsed Blanchardstown SC? Is this to much to ask?

Seroiulsy peed of with this. Cant affored a car and by jaysus if I could I would straight away. Any other commuters from Navan please feel free to ad to this thread.

I think you are over-reacting a bit here and need to look at the timetable again.

First lets deal with the new service operating via Kentstown Road and Johnstown Road.

If you look at the timetable again you will note that from Dublin at the same time every hour that this bus operates, a direct service also operates via the M3 to Navan. From Navan the direct M3 service operates 10 minutes after the service via Kentstown Road and Johnstown Road - just wait the 10 minutes and you get there faster - therefore you do not have to take the slower service at all.

As for your Blanchardstown SC/Clonee comments I have no idea where you are coming from?

In the evening peak from 1600 to 1945 no buses serve Blanchardstown SC whatsoever. There are also two services via the M3 at 1730 and 1830 to Navan that do not serve Clonee. Blanchardstown SC is only served by departures from Dublin between 0830 and 1530, and between 1900 and 2330. Similarly from Navan it is served by departures after 0935.

John R

tom23 wrote: »

Good to see some tweaking if you are living in Kells and beyond. Yet again the commuters of Navan are treated like second class citizens. Not only do we now get to see the scenic route of Navan by Kentstown and Johnstown Road, we also get to stop in the great but always busy Blanchardstown Shopping Centre.

This little detour is sure to add at least 10 / 15 minutes onto the journey time and will be an absolute nightmare come Christmas. So we are back to the bad old days of commuting from Navan. And they want bums on seats, Sillan tours get ready for a huge increase in business.

I would love to know who exactly are Bus Eireann catering for? Out of the five peak time buses from 5:50 to 7:05 can at least one of them be an express that just bypasses Clonee and the now propsed Blanchardstown SC? Is this to much to ask?

Seroiulsy peed of with this. Cant affored a car and by jaysus if I could I would straight away. Any other commuters from Navan please feel free to ad to this thread.

Did you even read the timetable? Improving services for Navan is the main aim of this timetable change.

In the AM all 109 services bypass Blanchardstown SC until the 09.35 departure from Navan. Navan now has 2 departures at 07.05, 07.20 that will operate via the M3.

Offpeak there will be 3 services per hour from Navan:
xx:05 (from Cavan) via M3
xx:35 (from Kells) via Dunshaughlin
xx:55 (starting in Navan) via Johnstown Rd, Dunshaughlin.

PM Peak there are services every 15 mns to Navan from 16.00 to 18.45 none of which will stop at Blanch SC, there will also be 2 expresses at 17.30 and 18.30 via the M3 for Navan only.

All in all it is an improvement on the current service and re-instates the direct link from Cavan to Navan. Having said that routing anything through Blanch SC is IMO a big mistake and regional services such as this shouldn't be going near traffic black holes like that when a vast majority of the passengers will be going to/from the city.

If you wish to switch to Sillan go ahead but are you really sure that their 4 southbound and 3 northbound services a day will suit you?

tom23

John R wrote: »

Did you even read the timetable? Improving services for Navan is the main aim of this timetable change.

In the AM all 109 services bypass Blanchardstown SC until the 09.35 departure from Navan. Navan now has 2 departures at 07.05, 07.20 that will operate via the M3.

Offpeak there will be 3 services per hour from Navan:
xx:05 (from Cavan) via M3
xx:35 (from Kells) via Dunshaughlin
xx:55 (starting in Navan) via Johnstown Rd, Dunshaughlin.

PM Peak there are services every 15 mns to Navan from 16.00 to 18.45 none of which will stop at Blanch SC, there will also be 2 expresses at 17.30 and 18.30 via the M3 for Navan only.

All in all it is an improvement on the current service and re-instates the direct link from Cavan to Navan. Having said that routing anything through Blanch SC is IMO a big mistake and regional services such as this shouldn't be going near traffic black holes like that when a vast majority of the passengers will be going to/from the city.

If you wish to switch to Sillan go ahead but are you really sure that their 4 southbound and 3 northbound services a day will suit you?

Thanks for the replies, I have misread the timetable, apologies, I hold my hand up, thanks for clarifying this, a big sigh of relief as it is considerably improved. Thanks again.

LaFlammeRouge

The new timetable sucks for me. The bus I usually get is now stopping in Dunboyne and as a result missing my stop at the Sheaf of Wheat at Bracetown.

LXFlyer

LaFlammeRouge wrote: »

The new timetable sucks for me. The bus I usually get is now stopping in Dunboyne and as a result missing my stop at the Sheaf of Wheat at Bracetown.

Which proves it is unfortunately impossible to please everyone.

tom23

Ok folks, I know some posters have pointed out the timetable and its improvements, thank you. But for some reasons there seems to be a lot of confusion among the commuters as to where the bus is stopping to and from Navan. There are three stops in Navan, Market Square, Outside the Ardboyne Hotel and the last stop at the Willows. The new timetable lists two new stops and does not mention the old one, surely that deserves a mention. According to a Bus Eireann driver, he says all Buses will be stopping in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre (personally find this hard to believe as it would be a crazy move on the part of Bus Eireann).

I have rang their customer service and they not could verify if the bus was indeed stopping in Blanch SC, have sent an email, got a read receipt but no reply. Other commuters have had the same experience. I might be over reacting, thats fine, but the news story on the web offer very little explanation of the service from Navan. Very confusing.

LaFlammeRouge

It's very annoying they don't flag these changes far in advance and provide plenty of information. The way they have gone about this allows very little time to find alternatives.

LXFlyer

tom23 wrote: »

Ok folks, I know some posters have pointed out the timetable and its improvements, thank you. But for some reasons there seems to be a lot of confusion among the commuters as to where the bus is stopping to and from Navan. There are three stops in Navan, Market Square, Outside the Ardboyne Hotel and the last stop at the Willows. The new timetable lists two new stops and does not mention the old one, surely that deserves a mention. According to a Bus Eireann driver, he says all Buses will be stopping in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre (personally find this hard to believe as it would be a crazy move on the part of Bus Eireann).

I have rang their customer service and they not could verify if the bus was indeed stopping in Blanch SC, have sent an email, got a read receipt but no reply. Other commuters have had the same experience. I might be over reacting, thats fine, but the news story on the web offer very little explanation of the service from Navan. Very confusing.

The timetable clearly explains which buses serve Blanchardstown Shopping Centre and which ones do not - I fail to see what the problem is? If there is no time printed in the row for Blanchardstown SC in the timetable then they bypass the shopping centre . If there is a time in that row, they do operate via the Shopping Centre itself. Simple as.

Similarly if there is a time in the Blanchardstown (Slip Road) row, then they serve the Slip Road, otherwise they do not.

As far as stops in Navan are concerned - from what I can see the only change is that some off-peak buses will operate via Johnstown and Kentstown Road. They will be the only ones not serving the Ardboyne Hotel stop. The other buses follow the traditional route through Navan from Kells, with those that operate via the M3 doing so south of the town.

As for the Willows - I can't confirm that one - but I assume if that is where the 109 buses that terminate in Navan stop, then they will continue to do so. However, they are now fewer in number.

That's the sum total of the changes.

LaFlammeRouge wrote: »

It's very annoying they don't flag these changes far in advance and provide plenty of information. The way they have gone about this allows very little time to find alternatives.

They've given two weeks notice, which is more than they are obliged to do under the NTA contract. As I said above no matter what changes are made to timetables, there are always going to be some people who are inconvenienced.

Alex70

Complete disaster this morning 40 minutes late, anybody with same issues. BE customer services could not explain the changes.

tom23

Got the 07.05 Express both mornings and was pretty pleased. Plenty of seats getting on at the Ardboyne. Though coming home on the 4:15 timetable says it does not serve Dunboyne but we went through Clonee and the Sheef of Wheat Dunboyne. Can't understand that, I asked the Bus driver and he did not know. I rang BE customer service and got no where, have lost faith in that service as I had previously sent an email asking specific questions and got the web story cut and pasted in a reply.

Regardless the express works and is better than nothing.

Commuter109

Alex70 wrote: »

Complete disaster this morning 40 minutes late, anybody with same issues. BE customer services could not explain the changes.

No,but I had an issue yesterday evening, worked later than usual to get what I thought was to be a 6.30 express via m3 to Navan according to the new timetable. Got there there were two buses, one for Cavan, and one serving Navan using the same route via Clonee, Dunslaughlin etc.. jumped on the Navan bus asked the driver where the express service was and despite being polite he was none the wiser, to paraphrase him said he didnt know what was happening with the new time table, and they were in the process of making even further changes again.

Was there a 5.30 express as per the timetable does anybody know????

No point in emailing Bus Eireann, I have done it twice re the new timetable with legitimate questiions and after a reminder to response to me they simply copy and paste the announcement on the website, thank me for contacting them and dont actually attempt to answer and query raised.

Scandalously really.

tom23

Commuter109 wrote: »

No,but I had an issue yesterday evening, worked later than usual to get what I thought was to be a 6.30 express via m3 to Navan according to the new timetable. Got there there were two buses, one for Cavan, and one serving Navan using the same route via Clonee, Dunslaughlin etc.. jumped on the Navan bus asked the driver where the express service was and despite being polite he was none the wiser, to paraphrase him said he didnt know what was happening with the new time table, and they were in the process of making even further changes again.

Was there a 5.30 express as per the timetable does anybody know????

No point in emailing Bus Eireann, I have done it twice re the new timetable with legitimate questiions and after a reminder to response to me they simply copy and paste the announcement on the website, thank me for contacting them and dont actually attempt to answer and query raised.

Scandalously really.

I have similar experience asking drivers / inspectors, no one seems to have any in-depth knowledge of the new time table, asked a guy giving out leaflets in Bus Aras, sorry I don't know he said, call customer service, I did and they did not know either, am not exaggerating! I work in a call centre and if we answered questions liked that you would be gone.

7.05 works, gets me into the green on time. Thank you. But I wish BE staff where more informed as it makes huge difference.

crank_1975

How exactly were we notified of this? If I hadn't checked Boards I would have never known about these changes. I missed the 5.10Pm bus from Wilton Terrace yesterday and I assumed it had left early (as it did this regularly). Little did I know that it will be leaving early every day (@ 5PM) from now on. Would it not make sense for notices to be put up on the actual buses where we might notice them (pardon the pun)? Of course things that make sense and BE are never seen together.

I also caught the M3 express from Kells at 7am this morning and it went to UCD but according to timetable this should only go to Busaras? Pity as this was great for getting me into work in the morning.

I see that the online discount has gone down to 5% from 10% as well, bah humbug....

Vic_08

tom23 wrote: »

Got the 07.05 Express both mornings and was pretty pleased. Plenty of seats getting on at the Ardboyne. Though coming home on the 4:15 timetable says it does not serve Dunboyne but we went through Clonee and the Sheef of Wheat Dunboyne. Can't understand that, I asked the Bus driver and he did not know. I rang BE customer service and got no where, have lost faith in that service as I had previously sent an email asking specific questions and got the web story cut and pasted in a reply.

Regardless the express works and is better than nothing.

The 4.15 as well as all other services go via Clonee (pick-up only) and Bracetown/sheaf of wheat (PU/SD) except the 09.30, 10.30, 11.30, 12.30, 13.30, 14.30, 15.30 to Cavan (first stop Navan), 16.30, 17.30, 18.30 to Cavan (first stop Kells), 17.30, 18.30 to Navan only.

The line for Dunboyne in the timetable is there for the 2 services a day that serve Dunboyne town (08.00, 10.00 ex Dublin, 15.15, 17.15 ex Kells)

I fully understand the irritation felt by regular commuters that dislike the diversion off the motorway at Clonee. This is to serve the stop at Bracetown, not Clonee and from what I have heard it was kept on the 109 after the M3 opened due to some lobbying. It is pointless, I would be surprised if more than 10 people a day use this stop and the hourly 105 would be more than adequate for the numbers using it.

tom23 wrote: »

I have similar experience asking drivers / inspectors, no one seems to have any in-depth knowledge of the new time table,

That is because they don't. At best all any driver will have is a copy of the published timetable and a list of the specific duties he will need to operate across his roster which in the case of a route like the 109 will be only a fraction of the duties scheduled.

The inspectors should have a bit more of a clue as they ought to have access to a full rota detailing which driver and bus is supposed to do each service although I wouldn't guarantee that they have been made available to them either.

It all boils down to management who point blank refuse to consult with and properly inform operational staff about changes. All that ever happens is a bit of to and fro with the unions AFTER the changes have been decided but that is more down to altering shifts and pay related changes than actual timetables.

tom23 wrote: »

I work in a call centre and if we answered questions liked that you would be gone.

But presumably your management make some effort to ensure you have the correct information to give to your customers? Ours simply do not.

As an example, on occasion passengers will ask me for details on how to get to places beyond the route/s that I drive. At present I have no way to confidently answer such a question. All I have is a 15 month old network timetable that is so out of date now with all the cancellations and alterations in the last 2 years that any info I give out from it may well be wrong anyway. That timetable was not even issued to me, I grabbed it one day when I saw a box of them hidden away in an office. a lot of drivers don't even have one of them and there is no chance of getting an updated one as they have decided not to print them this year to save money.


All I can say to passengers who find the timetable and service lacking is to contact senior management and complain directly, complaining to drivers or even inspectors is useless as we are not the ones writing the timetables and have no power to do anything about your problems.

tom23

Vic_08 wrote: »

The 4.15 as well as all other services go via Clonee (pick-up only) and Bracetown/sheaf of wheat (PU/SD) except the 09.30, 10.30, 11.30, 12.30, 13.30, 14.30, 15.30 to Cavan (first stop Navan), 16.30, 17.30, 18.30 to Cavan (first stop Kells), 17.30, 18.30 to Navan only.

The line for Dunboyne in the timetable is there for the 2 services a day that serve Dunboyne town (08.00, 10.00 ex Dublin, 15.15, 17.15 ex Kells)

I fully understand the irritation felt by regular commuters that dislike the diversion off the motorway at Clonee. This is to serve the stop at Bracetown, not Clonee and from what I have heard it was kept on the 109 after the M3 opened due to some lobbying. It is pointless, I would be surprised if more than 10 people a day use this stop and the hourly 105 would be more than adequate for the numbers using it.





That is because they don't. At best all any driver will have is a copy of the published timetable and a list of the specific duties he will need to operate across his roster which in the case of a route like the 109 will be only a fraction of the duties scheduled.

The inspectors should have a bit more of a clue as they ought to have access to a full rota detailing which driver and bus is supposed to do each service although I wouldn't guarantee that they have been made available to them either.

It all boils down to management who point blank refuse to consult with and properly inform operational staff about changes. All that ever happens is a bit of to and fro with the unions AFTER the changes have been decided but that is more down to altering shifts and pay related changes than actual timetables.





But presumably your management make some effort to ensure you have the correct information to give to your customers? Ours simply do not.

As an example, on occasion passengers will ask me for details on how to get to places beyond the route/s that I drive. At present I have no way to confidently answer such a question. All I have is a 15 month old network timetable that is so out of date now with all the cancellations and alterations in the last 2 years that any info I give out from it may well be wrong anyway. That timetable was not even issued to me, I grabbed it one day when I saw a box of them hidden away in an office. a lot of drivers don't even have one of them and there is no chance of getting an updated one as they have decided not to print them this year to save money.


All I can say to passengers who find the timetable and service lacking is to contact senior management and complain directly, complaining to drivers or even inspectors is useless as we are not the ones writing the timetables and have no power to do anything about your problems.

Thanks for the reply. Will take your advice and will email BE Senior Management, though I doubht I will get a reply.

Kutebride

........and of this a.m. to park your car in ardboyne hotel [EMAIL="cu$@k"]cu$@k[/EMAIL] fecker is charging THREE EURO. I have walked to my stop for 6 years but of course the year I have to drop child to my minder the hotel charge. back to train from dunboyne for me.

As for timetables: new timetable 0735 says terminates at Bus Aras. This peed me off as its the earliest bus I can get nowadays so anyway I was on the 0735 and lo and behold it goest to the green, phew

I am not aware of any bus going from Navan on the M3 only stopping in Dublin. Please advise where on timetable it notes this, not that I cant get anything before 0730:(

Commuter109

"I fully understand the irritation felt by regular commuters that dislike the diversion off the motorway at Clonee. This is to serve the stop at Bracetown, not Clonee and from what I have heard it was kept on the 109 after the M3 opened due to some lobbying. It is pointless, I would be surprised if more than 10 people a day use this stop and the hourly 105 would be more than adequate for the numbers using it."

I thought as much there is no logical way that one could justify this stop vis a via the numbers that use it. Take the peak times buses, (save those that are using the M3 in its entirety). I've only seen possibly one person get on at Bracetown in the last number of months. On the way home the numbers vary between zero and two on a very busy day for that stop.

How could anybody justify taking the 40 or 50 people via Clonee etc.. and adding maybe 10 minutes to their journey, to appease one or two commuters??

If lobbying got it put there in the first place then, lobbying (and lets face it it affects 99% of commuters on that route) should be used to attempt to stop this farce of buses having to go around the country and travel at 40 kMPH through a village to appease a tiny minority on what is possibly one of the busiest routes in the country when there is a perfectly good one billion euro, 120kmph motorway adjacent to it.

I would encourage people to use the Bus Eireann Facebook site or email them (not that they ever respond) and report their progress here.

Still none the wiser about the purported "express buses" from Bus Aras, to Navan in the evening i.e a 5.30 and 6.30. Went to get a 6.30 on Thursay, same old story, inspectors told me that they had no idea what was going on as management were telling them nothing.

They pointed out a 109 and said that "he should be using the M3 but don't quote us on that" Off course the bus filled up and we went the old way, I asked the driver in Navan what was the story with this supposed M3 bus at 6.30 and he answered " don't ask me, I wouldnt know, you'll have to ask them above in the Busaras."

I have emailed bus Eireann off course and have had the same experience as commuters above, i.e they dont answer or if pushed, give you a generic copy and paste of the website that doesnt answer your question.!!

The 7.05 express from Navan in the morning seems to be working well in fairness, has anybody got a straight answer or know what the hell is happening with the buses that according to the new timetable use the m3 on the way home, i.e the 5.30 and 6.30

And if that Bracetown stop is adding to your journey, do something about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tks

NufcNavan

Really is stupid the way the buses now go through both Blanch AND Clonee. Adds way too much time to the journey.

crank_1975

This service has disimproved dramatically. They have taken a number of double decker buses off the route and replaced them with the old single deckers (I was on one on Wednesday which said Bus Scoile on it!!).

There used to be a bus that left Wilton Terrace at 5PM and went to Kells via Busaras and the M3 and would get into Kells about 6.50PM. It now leaves at 5PM and for the last three days has got to Kells at about 7.15PM, its the same route etc but is now taking 35 minutes longer???

I thought that this was the busiest route that Bus Eireann run? Surely the service should be better.

Commuter109

NufcNavan wrote: »

Really is stupid the way the buses now go through both Blanch AND Clonee. Adds way too much time to the journey.

Yep, absolutely, was on the 6.30 to Navan yesterday evening, and the number that gone on/off the bus were as follows:

Blanch stop No 1 - zero
Blanch Stop No 2 - zero
Bracetown/ Damastown - zero



It really is time that Bus Eireann started thinking about the majority as opposed to the small minority on this route.

The same goes for using the Cabra Road route. Your average bus at peak hours takes on Board maybe 40 people in the Busaras, it then proceeds out through Phisborough and Cabra and picks up another 5-6 people en route. This is usually a very busy route and when they are doing any works in Phoneix Park, like at present, it's even worse.

Last year they had the good sense on some buses to use the port tunnel way out of town during the major works in the park and it worked! you were getting out to Blanch in circa a half an hour. (I know there are complaints currently about some of the kells/ cavan buses which use to use this route starting to use the Cabra road again)

The 5 or 6 people that get the bus at the matter/ phibsborough church/ Cabra - could come in the Busaras like the rest of us mere mortals who arent lucky enough to be working along that route have to do.

Leaving aside the phantom 5.30 and 6.30 Navan bus that is meant to use the M3 and nobody Knows anything about (well definately the 6.30 anyway). I think using the port tunnel and cutting out the divesrion through Clonee, could leave Dunshlaughlin commuters home in well under the hour and leave the trip to Navan at an hour/ an hour and ten which would be a welcome relief to the vast majority of bus users.

We've spent billions on the port tunnel/ upgrading the M50 / the M3, it's time to start using them

Any thoughts?

Faddymackshyte

Commuter109 wrote: »

The 5 or 6 people that get the bus at the matter/ phibsborough church/ Cabra - could come in the Busaras like the rest of us mere mortals who arent lucky enough to be working along that route have to do.

It's not just 5 or 6 a day, there are about 5 or 6 every hour that need to get the bus at the Mater/Phibsboro and then you're also forgetting to add the people in Cabra and Ashtown. So I'd hazard a guess that there are roughly 8/9 people on the peak time journies that use those services around Cabra/Phibsboro. Plus what would be the point in going into Bus Aras when the bus doubles back out towards that way???

I've seen so many single decker buses recently that it's driving me mad. By the time it reaches me, it's full up. I have no idea what is happening with buses going to Dunshaughlin/Navan between 5.30-6pm. It's shambolic really.

NufcNavan

Commuter109 wrote: »

Yep, absolutely, was on the 6.30 to Navan yesterday evening, and the number that gone on/off the bus were as follows:

Blanch stop No 1 - zero
Blanch Stop No 2 - zero
Bracetown/ Damastown - zero



It really is time that Bus Eireann started thinking about the majority as opposed to the small minority on this route.

The same goes for using the Cabra Road route. Your average bus at peak hours takes on Board maybe 40 people in the Busaras, it then proceeds out through Phisborough and Cabra and picks up another 5-6 people en route. This is usually a very busy route and when they are doing any works in Phoneix Park, like at present, it's even worse.

Last year they had the good sense on some buses to use the port tunnel way out of town during the major works in the park and it worked! you were getting out to Blanch in circa a half an hour. (I know there are complaints currently about some of the kells/ cavan buses which use to use this route starting to use the Cabra road again)

The 5 or 6 people that get the bus at the matter/ phibsborough church/ Cabra - could come in the Busaras like the rest of us mere mortals who arent lucky enough to be working along that route have to do.

Leaving aside the phantom 5.30 and 6.30 Navan bus that is meant to use the M3 and nobody Knows anything about (well definately the 6.30 anyway). I think using the port tunnel and cutting out the divesrion through Clonee, could leave Dunshlaughlin commuters home in well under the hour and leave the trip to Navan at an hour/ an hour and ten which would be a welcome relief to the vast majority of bus users.

We've spent billions on the port tunnel/ upgrading the M50 / the M3, it's time to start using them

Any thoughts?

Agree with 80% of that apart from the Cabra/Mater bit. I think you've underestimated how many people get on at this stop every day. Compare that to a place like Clonee where I'd say there's days where nobody gets on there.

The 109 is Bus Eireann's cash cow, yet they should be treating their passengers a lot better than this. Meath people treated like second class citizens as always.

shannon82

the 4.30 express is becoming a laugh too, depending on the driver some people from Kells are being turned away to make room for Cavan commuters.

Its taking 50+minutes to get to Blanch now a big difference to the 22minutes thats on the timetable

Commuter109

[It's not just 5 or 6 a day, there are about 5 or 6 every hour that need to get the bus at the Mater/Phibsboro and then you're also forgetting to add the people in Cabra and Ashtown. So I'd hazard a guess that there are roughly 8/9 people on the peak time journies that use those services around Cabra/Phibsboro.

Okay, for a start I'm glad to hear that others aren't entirely happy with the r109 service.

And just to put things into persepctive, I'm not suggesting that it's all bad, as I have said previously the two morning buses from navan that use the M3 are a welcome addition and are to be commended.

Also glad to hear that others feel the same about having to go through Clonee to serve Bracetown etc...

On the above quote re 8/9 people using the stops at Cabra/Phibsborough/ashtown, couple of comments

I'm not suggesting that all R109 services reconsider using the Cabra route, just the peak times services home in the evening. Getting down the NCR and through Phibsborough/ Cabra at one o clock in the day and 9 a clock at night etc is fine.. but between 4-7.30 or so it's a different kettle of fish.

8/9 people out of a bus full (not sure what Bus Eireann buses hold 50-60 maybe??) is still a minority of commuters.

just a suggestion! but for people getting the bus at the matter or phibsborough, it's not that far into the Bus Aras in fairness and Cabra and Ashtown isn't that far the first roadside stop at Blanchardstown. (typically these would be probably a €1.20 fare on Dublin bus) In fairness there are bus users working on the southside that have to get a luas the to green and then a bus down to bus busaras etc..

I just think that it is something worth thinking about. The reality of the situation is that unfortunately its not something that is going to happen in the short term.

But something needs to be done about the Blanch stops and diversion through Clonee asap. using the slip roads around Blanch is going to a complete nightmare once xmas shopping season kicks off.

Commuter109

"Plus what would be the point in going into Bus Aras when the bus doubles back out towards that way???"

Just to pick on this point, if the limited few made their way into Bus Aras or Blanch, the whole point is that the bus wouldnt have to go the Cabra route, it could use the port tunnel.

was on the seven o clock yesterday which went up through the Blanch SC, (jesus that is going to be a nightmare in the near future), nobody got on or off , then off through Clonee to serve Bracetown, (surprise, surprise, nobody got off or on)

Going to email Bus Eireann again about the Clonee stop, will email management and cc the NTA and the dept of transport, aswell in an effort to get a response, because info@buseireann.ie is a joke altogether.

The economic reality of the situation is we ain't gonna get a train and its not like everybody can sell their houses and move back nearer to dublin!!!!! so I think people have to lobby to make this route as efficient as possible and as soon as possible.

crank_1975

It would definitely make sense for some of the "express" buses to go through the tunnel. The 5PM from Wilton Terrace on Friday didn't get to Busaras until 5.40PM and by the time everyone had got on the bus it was close to 6PM, thankfully the driver went via the tunnel which cut the journey time significantly. Since this bus is full pretty much every day when leaving Busaras the issue of pickups at the Mater / Cabra / Blanch doesn't matter so using the tunnel is the smartest way to operate the service.

As an aside, one of the drivers told me that they have to pay for the tolls on the M3 from the cash float!!! Why can't we have some joined up thinking for something in this country, surely each bus could be fitted with an easypass which would mean the bus could use the express lane.

gazzer

I think I will just continue using the 30 when travelling from Dublin to Virginia. I know it only runs every 2 hours but at least it only takes 90 minutes.

piperh

Stood waiting in kells at the moment for the 9.55am been here since 9.40 (the old time just in case) and its still not here at 10.15am, not going to get to cavan for the 10.40 on the timetable i think. This service is useless. :mad:

Commuter109

At last, a half six express seems to be from running from Busaras this week which is using the M3. It got into Navan in about one hour and 5 minutes this week, which was great.

In fact the longest part of the Jouney was from Town to blanch via the Navan road route. Still a bit of bee my bonnet about this element of the journey. Circa 22 people got on at Busaras, two at the matter, nobody in Phisborough, nobody in Cabra and two at ashtown, and 3 or 4 on the Blanch slip road. so if my math is right we could have used the port tunnel and it may have made the journey quicker for 87% of bus users.

That said it mighn't made a huge difference at that time of the evening, but would be interested in knowning how long the half five is taking to get to Blanch and if the port tunnel would be a quicker alternative at that of day??

Unfortunately wouldn't be able to make express buses all the time, so back the plan of getting rid of that detour through Clonee for the non express buses which appears to be inconvenniencing the all but a very small handful of commuters

Commuter109

At last, a half six express seems to be from running from Busaras this week which is using the M3. It got into Navan in about one hour and 5 minutes this week, which was great.

In fact the longest part of the Journey was from Town to blanch via the Navan road route. Still a bit of bee my bonnet about this element of the journey. Circa 22 people got on at Busaras, two at the matter, nobody in Phisborough, nobody in Cabra and two at ashtown, and 3 or 4 on the Blanch slip road. so if my math is right we could have used the port tunnel and it may have made the journey quicker for 87% of bus users.

That said it mightn’t made a huge difference at that time of the evening, but would be interested in knowing how long the half five is taking to get to Blanch and if the port tunnel would be a quicker alternative at that of day??

Unfortunately wouldn't be able to make express buses all the time, so back the plan of getting rid of that detour through Clonee for the non express buses which appears to be inconveniencing the all but a very small handful of commuters

NufcNavan

The bus I was on this morning had wifi.

Commuter109

NufcNavan wrote: »

The bus I was on this morning had wifi.

Excellent stuff! and what hopefully is going to be a bigger improvement, was chatting to one of the inspectors last week, and he told me that the powers that be infromed him that they are going to cut the Clonee detour to serve Bracetown to 4 or so services a day.

tara83

The bus is getting later and later every evening into Dunshaughlin. Yesterday it was 7.15 (don't think I have seen anything like that since the snow last year) and at least 6.45 every other day. It is turning into a joke.

LXFlyer

I do find it somewhat ironic that when the 109 timetable changed in May there were plenty of complaints here about it going via the airport and not serving the N3 and now there is nothing but complaints about it serving the N3 again.

It does go to show that it is impossible to please everyone.

Personally I would have thought that the Bracetown stops only need perhaps two buses in either direction in the morning and evening peaks and perhaps one in each direction at lunchtime to serve the business park and everything else could use the N3 between Blanchardstown and Pace.

Commuter109

What bus is it that you are getting Tara and whats the crux of the hold up. Assumedly the vast majority of the time is spent getting to Blanchardstown?

Not sure in relation to Lxflyers comments re the May changes, whether they pertain to the 109 or 109A service.

What I will say is that Bus Eireann shouldn't be aiming "to please everyone", Its that mentality that has buses going to Clonee constantly to service what are in essence ghost stops. what they should be looking for is efficiency; after all they are running a business. Using the Cabra route out of town is an example of "trying to please everyone", and all it's doing is adding to the commute of the vast majority I think. I understand that the 5.30 express to Navan has been using the Port Tunnel out of town recently and getting to Navan in record times.

I was on the 6.30 express the other evening and in excess of 30 people boarded it in Busaras and on the way out not a solitary sole got on between the Mater and Blanch.

I'm not a transportation logistics expert, but I do remember when some of the buses were using the port tunnel last year because of the works in Phoniex Park, we were betting to Blanch in Circa 25 minutes some evenings.

I wonder if bus eireann have done any analysis on the alternatives and what the result were?

LXFlyer

Commuter109 wrote: »

What bus is it that you are getting Tara and whats the crux of the hold up. Assumedly the vast majority of the time is spent getting to Blanchardstown?

Not sure in relation to Lxflyers comments re the May changes, whether they pertain to the 109 or 109A service.

What I will say is that Bus Eireann shouldn't be aiming "to please everyone", Its that mentality that has buses going to Clonee constantly to service what are in essence ghost stops. what they should be looking for is efficiency; after all they are running a business. Using the Cabra route out of town is an example of "trying to please everyone", and all it's doing is adding to the commute of the vast majority I think. I understand that the 5.30 express to Navan has been using the Port Tunnel out of town recently and getting to Navan in record times.

I was on the 6.30 express the other evening and in excess of 30 people boarded it in Busaras and on the way out not a solitary sole got on between the Mater and Blanch.

I'm not a transportation logistics expert, but I do remember when some of the buses were using the port tunnel last year because of the works in Phoniex Park, we were betting to Blanch in Circa 25 minutes some evenings.

I wonder if bus eireann have done any analysis on the alternatives and what the result were?

They pertain to the 109.

There were a whole heap of complaints here when the 109 started going via the Port Tunnel and the Airport.

Now when the routing reverted to the original route via the N3 there are complaints again.

I'm merely pointing out that no matter what they do there will always be someone put out!

markpb

lxflyer wrote: »

There were a whole heap of complaints here when the 109 started going via the Port Tunnel and the Airport. Now when the routing reverted to the original route via the N3 there are complaints again.

I only get this bus occasionally but my understanding is that people were not complaining about it taking DPT but about the amount of time it took to get through the airport. Now the problem is not the N3 but going through Clonee.

LXFlyer

markpb wrote: »

I only get this bus occasionally but my understanding is that people were not complaining about it taking DPT but about the amount of time it took to get through the airport. Now the problem is not the N3 but going through Clonee.

No I think you'll find complaints above about going via the N3 also Mark.

crank_1975

There are two issues I would have, the 5PM from Wilton Terrace used to leave at 5.10PM and got to Busaras at about 5.30PM now even though it is leaving 10 minutes earlier it seems to be taking longer to get to busaras.

Once this bus leaves busaras it is usually full (as it is the cavan bus) so there is no reason for this bus to go through the city to blanch (which seems to be taking longer and longer every day) and surely it would make sense for the "express" bus to use the tunnel and then the M3. The handful of times it has done this it has been in Kells at 6.45PM which is more than acceptable. Recently this bus has been getting to Kells at 7.20PM and even 7.30PM on some nights, this equates to a 2.5 hour journey from Wilton terrace to Kells (even using the motorway and bypassing Clonee, Dunshaughlin and Navan).

The main issue seems to be the drivers as far as I can see as depending on which driver you get the time you get home will be either earlier or later, some of them appear to be driving commuter buses while others are doing sightseeing tours of west dublin / east meath.

gazzer

Its going to be great fun from Monday on the Navan Road when the new Tesco opens. Especially with it coming up to Xmas. There is going to be a huge bottleneck at the section of the Navan road that the 109 comes onto from Cabra Road there at the McDonalds.

Commuter109

heard people giving out the other morning that the new 7.05 express route that was working well thus far has deviatated up a blanch slip road in the morning (again I think for the sake or one or maybe two people) and this is having a knock on effect on those trying to get into town and the green?

anyone know whats happening?

Tks

AlekSmart

Commuter109 wrote: »

heard people giving out the other morning that the new 7.05 express route that was working well thus far has deviatated up a blanch slip road in the morning (again I think for the sake or one or maybe two people) and this is having a knock on effect on those trying to get into town and the green?

anyone know whats happening?

Tks

More than likely one of those few individuals mentioned has managed to get the mobile number of the area inspector and made a personal plea to which the Inspector has responded.

Thus,rather than maintain the principle of "Greater Good" the Inspector will default to the easier option of a slap-on-the-back and the "He's a great fellah altogether" approach.

The private sector tend to be somewhat more robust when addressing these type of Mé Féin pleas....but Both of the CIE Road Passenger entities tend to cut n run in the face of a persistent individual...it's just easier that way....:eek:

LXFlyer

http://www.buseireann.ie/inner.php?id=251

Route 109, Dublin/Navan/Kells/Virginia/Cavan

Customers please note that from Monday, 12 December 2011 to Sunday, 8 January 2012 inclusive, services on Bus Éireann route 109 will not serve the stops within Blanchardstown Shopping Centre. Instead customers travelling to Blanchardstown Shopping Centre will be set down at the current bus stop located beside the inbound Slip road. Customers travelling from Blanchardstown Shopping Centre will be picked up at the current bus stop located on the Blanchardstown Slip road.

This arrangement is to eliminate any potential for delays due to traffic congestion during the busy Christmas shopping period. Bus Éireann regrets any inconvenience this may cause customers.

updated 5 December 2011

That should allay some of the fears expressed on this forum.

irish_man

lxflyer wrote: »

http://www.buseireann.ie/inner.php?id=251



That should allay some of the fears expressed on this forum.

That's great news. It was such a disaster going through blanch village at the best of times.

Vic_08

irish_man wrote: »

lxflyer wrote: »

http://www.buseireann.ie/inner.php?id=251



That should allay some of the fears expressed on this forum.

That's great news. It was such a disaster going through blanch village at the best of times.

It should be knocked on the head for good, it is a joke that a long distance bus to Cavan has to waste 15 minutes going in circles around a retail park when even some of the local city buses are now avoiding it.

Now something needs doing about the outbound route as cabra/Navan rd is getting unbearable from late afternoon onwards.

Commuter109

Vic_08 wrote: »

It should be knocked on the head for good, it is a joke that a long distance bus to Cavan has to waste 15 minutes going in circles around a retail park when even some of the local city buses are now avoiding it.

Now something needs doing about the outbound route as cabra/Navan rd is getting unbearable from late afternoon onwards.

Absolutely agreed, I've said it in previous posts. The number of people getting on at the stops outside of Bus Aras is minimal, I've seen instances in the last few weeks where not a sinner is getting on at Phibsborough, Cabra or Ashtown. Yet the vast majority of commuters are paying the price in terms of longer journey time home.