Bus Eireann routes 109/109A Changes

LXFlyer

It has nothing to do with a BE mentality - that is their licensed route by the NTA.

tom23

lxflyer wrote: »

It has nothing to do with a BE mentality - that is their licensed route by the NTA.

But is it not up to Bus Eireann to make an argument if the numbers are not their to justify a bus going a certain route. I agree with a lot of what Commuter 109 is saying regarding going the route of clonee. I have yet to see more than one person a month getting on (they never get of).

I really can't see the point of running every single bus through here. It really is a case of sacrifice the many for the sake of the one.

But like said before people need to be vocal, very vocal. And they need to back that up with fact, how many passengers a day / week / month get on / of during peak / off peak times.

And don't get me started on the Blanch S.C.

LXFlyer

The NTA have been taking a far more proactive role in how subsidised bus services are developed - it may well have been their decision that the bus should serve the shopping centre.

People need to realise that the operating companies' hands are somewhat more tied than they may think.

The fact that Sillan's operate a commercial non-subsidised service (albeit far more limited than BE) along the Navan-Dublin route may also have implications as to what route a subsidised BE service can take.

Obviously BE can and should make cases for changes to the network based on numbers. To be fair to them there have been substantial numbers of changes in both the subsidised and commercial services over the past year.

As I've said before here, I would suggest that you ought to be making submissions directly to both Joe Kenny, the Regional Manager (East) for Bus Eireann who is based at Broadstone in Dublin 7, and also the Bus Licensing Section of the NTA, contact details here:
http://www.nationaltransport.ie/contact-us/intro-and-general-enquiries-press-contacts-and-oireachtas-liaison/

Commuter109

Slip roads along the motorway up to blanch are a nightmare this evening and I don't think they are going to get any better in the run up to the festive season. About 30 of us on the bus just passed the obligatory sheaf of wheat stop as usual not a sinner getting on or off it. I'm going to email the nta this weekend as there is absolutely no justification for probably 20 odd buses a day servicing this stop particularly when across the road is something that dunsaughlin , Navan, kells or Cavan havent got I.e a bloody train station !

gazzer

Does anybody here get the 7am bus from Cavan that gets to Kildare St at 9.05am (according to the BE timetable)?

I have to be in Baggot St for 9.15am on Wednesday and I was just wonder if the bus times on the timetable are in any way accurate?

Thanks

shannon82

gazzer wrote: »

Does anybody here get the 7am bus from Cavan that gets to Kildare St at 9.05am (according to the BE timetable)?

I have to be in Baggot St for 9.15am on Wednesday and I was just wonder if the bus times on the timetable are in any way accurate?

Thanks

I get this occasionally and i only get in to work 4 915&imless then 5mins from oconnell street

Commuter109

No room on the 530 express again for all who wish to use it. Same is happening with the 705 express in the mornings quite frequently. BE to be commended for introducing a second 720 express in the mornings but I don't appreciate the logic of a need for 3 express buses needed to get people into work but only express home.

At least when the 30 was serving Navan and dunslaughlin etc it was a second option re a quicker journey home but now peaks hours there is only one option which is now understandably filling up all to quickly in the evening.

I'm no logistics expert but do BE need to carve up the 109 route, are they trying to do too much on one route with big centres of population and no train service ? I have heard a stat before that the 109 route is the busiest service in the country not sure if this is true or otherwise but with in excess of 60 buses a day surely there is a more efficient timetable and better service in there waiting to get out!

sofireland

Yeah the loss of the 6 to swanlinbar is a little inconvenient but we will have to manage as they obviously dont listen to feedback

LXFlyer

It's nothing to do with feedback - that service was not subsidised. The 109 is.

If you want more services you need to lobby the NTA. I've said this over and over again.

They dictate service levels and routes in subsidised services.

Commuter109

LXFLYER

you might clarify, does being subsidised equate to being a loss making route?

Tks

LXFlyer

Pretty much yes.

It may not necessarily be the case for every single route, but BE receives a subsidy to provide a certain service level on certain routes that may otherwise be loss making.

This encompasses the entire stage carriage network.

Bear in mind that the 109 is a relatively high frequency route all through the day and at weekends and while it's full at peak times it certainly isn't at other times.

tom23

It really is not worth using the 109 after the 07:20am express departure. The 07:35 is to erratic, 10 minutes late this morning and ended up picking up the bulk of the 07:50 passengers, an hour on the road and we have not hit the blanch slip road possibly one if the most congested areas in the country. I'd complain to BE but like most of my previous emails it will go unexplained.

As commuter 109 said the 109 is trying to cover to large of an area.

Colm R

Going towards Dublin, just after the roundabout at Fairyhouse, there is a bus stop with plenty of space. With a bit of thought, they could easily turn this into an interchange stop, considering that buses from Ratoath, Trim and the 109 all pass here. If you could somehow come up with a system to get all the City bound passengers onto one bus, and Clonee, Blanchardstown and elsewhere on to another.

A little bit of signage, a bit of thought, and tweaking the timetable, and everyone could come away quite happy.

AlekSmart

Colm R wrote: »

Going towards Dublin, just after the roundabout at Fairyhouse, there is a bus stop with plenty of space. With a bit of thought, they could easily turn this into an interchange stop, considering that buses from Ratoath, Trim and the 109 all pass here. If you could somehow come up with a system to get all the City bound passengers onto one bus, and Clonee, Blanchardstown and elsewhere on to another.

A little bit of signage, a bit of thought, and tweaking the timetable, and everyone could come away quite happy.

That bsounds like a very European style of thought Colm R,the type of thing we see working quietly and successfully as we holiday on the mainland......however there are deep seated cultural issues specific to Ireland which makes this impossible.

However,I've no idea what these issues are either....:eek:

munchkin_utd

Colm R wrote: »

Going towards Dublin, just after the roundabout at Fairyhouse, there is a bus stop with plenty of space. With a bit of thought, they could easily turn this into an interchange stop, considering that buses from Ratoath, Trim and the 109 all pass here. If you could somehow come up with a system to get all the City bound passengers onto one bus, and Clonee, Blanchardstown and elsewhere on to another.

A little bit of signage, a bit of thought, and tweaking the timetable, and everyone could come away quite happy.

The rail station at the M3 parkway would be an ideal location for such an interchange and has bus facilities and the 111 to Trim already stops there.

I could go all european and suggest that an express shuttle to Navan linking the end of the rail line that is destined for Navan at some stage be introduced, but that would also require the exotic european concept of integrated bus and rail fares.
That such a measure might reduce the number of subsided CIE group busses needed on the 109 route and fill empty subsidised CIE group trains already in place on the Dunboyne line, is probably too european also.

Commuter109

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/highspeed-transport-corridors-to-lure-commuters-from-cars-3293730.html


Any thoughts?

munchkin_utd

Commuter109 wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/highspeed-transport-corridors-to-lure-commuters-from-cars-3293730.html

Any thoughts?

They are proposing to spend 450 million on a high speed corridor.

Theres already a €650 million motorway from Kells/ Navan to Dublin virtually unused by public transport along with a €752 million tunnel to the city centre also virtually unused. Oh, and the 300million for M50 Phase 2 between the N3 and the M1

Thats 1.702 billion Euro of a link between Kells/ Navan and the city centre that the NTA chooses not to use.
Bonkers stuff.

€1702000000 is a lot of zeros and a lot of money to spend and NOT USE!

munchkin_utd

I should also mention again, along with the road infrastructure already in place at a cost of €1702000000 that could be used to benefit Commuters on the route 109 corridor, theres the small matter of €160000000 spent on the first phase of the Navan rail line that has currently no public transport link to Navan.

Obviously it more preferable to have subsidised busses sitting in traffic (requring more busses and therefore higher subsidies) going in and out of the city than availing of the €1862000000, 1.86billion, euro worth of infrastructure already in place between Navan and Dublin city centre.

Geog1234

Have put together this list of official stops on route 109 which may be of help/interest. (Sources: personal observation, BÉ timetable leaflet, BÉ Journey Planner). It should be fairly accurate, but please feel free to add/comment.

Main stops in bold
Main BÉ connections in blue


Cavan Institute **
Cavan Bus Station, Farnham Street (30 Enniskillen/Donegal; 175 Cootehill)
Cavan, Lough View (opp. Tractamotors)
Cavan, Lakeland Retail Park (opp. Cavan Crystal Hotel)
Cavan, opp. former Army Barracks
Cavan, Hotel Kilmore
Lavey Inn
Upper Lavey/ Maggie Lees Cross (St. Dympna’s Church)
Opp. New Inn
Billis Cross
Lisgrey Cross
Virginia (Paulines Flower Shop) (187 Ballyjamesduff/Mountnugent/Oldcastle)
Virginia, Yewpark
Maghera Cross
Whitegate Cross
Carnaross North
Carnaross Village
Kells, Lloyd Business Park
Kells North (Fr. McCullen Park)
Kells, Town Hall (108 Moynalty/Mullagh/Bailieboro)
Kilmainham
Bloomsbury Cross
Opp. Silver Tankard
Navan, opp. Navan Ford
Navan, Blackwater Retail Park (Woodies)
Navan, Market Square (188 Drogheda/Trim; 107 Kingscourt)
Navan (Kentstown Road) **
Navan (Johnstown Road) **
Navan (Bailis Downs) **
Navan (Kilcarne) **
Navan, opp. Ardboyne Hotel
Navan, Kilcarne Bridge
Dalgan Park (opp. St. Columban’s)
Garlow Cross
Opp. Tara Cross
Lismullen
Ross Cross
Dunshaughlin, Bank of Ireland
Dunshaughlin, Business Park
Workhouse
Ryanstown (opp. Bush Lane)
Rathbeggan
Porterstown Lane
Fairyhouse Cross
Dunboyne **
Sheaf of Wheat
Clonee Village (Grasshopper Inn)
Blanchardstown Slip Road (Dublin Bus stop on R121)
Blanchardstown Shopping Centre (McGuirks Golf)**
Ashtown Cross (Halfway House)
Phibsboro, opp. St. Peter’s Church
Phibsboro, Berkeley Road (Mater Hospital)
Upper O’Connell Street
Busáras, Store Street numerous connections nationwide
Nassau Street **
Kildare Street **
St. Stephen’s Green East **
Leeson Street **
Wilton Terrace **
UCD (stop on citybound slip road) **

Key:

** = not all buses serve this stop, see timetable for details

Notes:
- 06.00 & 07.00 Cavan – Dublin Mon-Fri operate non-stop (along M3) between Kells Town Hall & Blanchardstown slip road.

- Buses ex Navan which are scheduled to run via the M3 have no stop between Kilcarne Bridge and Blanchardstown slip road.

- Navan (Kentstown Road), Navan (Johnstown Road), Navan (Bailis Downs) and Navan (Kilcarne) are only served by the xx:55 departures ex Navan Square between 08:55 and 16:55 Mon-Fri

- Dunboyne is only served by the 15.15 and 17.15 hrs Kells – Dublin Mon-Sat. Buses serving Dunboyne do not serve Sheaf of Wheat.

- not all buses serve Blanchardstown Shopping Centre but all are scheduled to set-down at Blanchardstown Slip Road (Dublin Bus stop on R121) if required.

tom23

You got love bus eireanns concept of an express route one passenger decides to get of a blanch, one passenger, so we spend 15 mins getting up and down the slip road to let our hero of, and before someone points out I know it's a health and safety issue. but how come I see people strolling past our bus on the slip road obviously getting of some other bus on the road.

Why if they are saying this is as an express can they make the first stop phibsborough? If its an 'express' treat it as that, why always half measures?

That one passenger could of got the regular service, it really is so frustrating the ad hoc rules applied to the 07:05 express. 99 percent of the people using this bus are long term commuters, mostly using prepaid tickets, who want to board quickly, no hanging around and get to work in a decent time, they are well drilled on how it works,

Commuter109

tom23 wrote: »

You got love bus eireanns concept of an express route one passenger decides to get of a blanch, one passenger, so we spend 15 mins getting up and down the slip road to let our hero of, and before someone points out I know it's a health and safety issue. but how come I see people strolling past our bus on the slip road obviously getting of some other bus on the road.

Why if they are saying this is as an express can they make the first stop phibsborough? If its an 'express' treat it as that, why always half measures?

That one passenger could of got the regular service, it really is so frustrating the ad hoc rules applied to the 07:05 express. 99 percent of the people using this bus are long term commuters, mostly using prepaid tickets, who want to board quickly, no hanging around and get to work in a decent time, they are well drilled on how it works,

Whole heartedly agree Tom. Had the same experience on Tuesday only there was not a sinner getting off there. How hard would it have been for the driver after the bus filled at Johnstown to walk down the bus and ask if anyone needed to get off at blanch . Would have taken circa 15 seconds of his time as opposed to adding 6 or 7 minutes to 60 people's journey by going up the blanch slip road and then asking if anybody needed to get off, as they say the problem with common sense is that it's not common enough and that is certainly the case with BE !

tom23

Commuter109 wrote: »

Whole heartedly agree Tom. Had the same experience on Tuesday only there was not a sinner getting off there. How hard would it have been for the driver after the bus filled at Johnstown to walk down the bus and ask if anyone needed to get off at blanch . Would have taken circa 15 seconds of his time as opposed to adding 6 or 7 minutes to 60 people's journey by going up the blanch slip road and then asking if anybody needed to get off, as they say the problem with common sense is that it's not common enough and that is certainly the case with BE !

Well common sense is abundant with this mornings driver! Love this type of driver, no nosense, uses the wayfarer like his the flash, does a head count twice, on the m3 for 07:12, and before we depart asks three times is anybody getting of at blanch? Qualifies it by saying he won't be stopping there. 10 out of 10 driver.

If we could have this standard every morning it would be a very stress free commute and it would be what I would expect an express service to be.

tom23

For the love of god why does the driver of the 09:30 to kells (private bus) feel he has to stop at evey bus to tell passengers waiting that his bus is full?

A thoughtful driver? Maybe, a driver who uses that X factor known as common sense, no. Bus is full, please proceed to navan / kells ASAP as its taking nearly 80mins with no traffic, a record in itself. Like our budgets it's getting harder and harder to endure the commute to navan. What should be a straightforward concept of a- b it's nothing like. Goddam common sense is all we ask, clone the driver from my previous post.

Geog1234

http://buseireann.ie/news_timetable.php?id=1223&month=Dec

foggy_lad

Geog1234 wrote: »

http://buseireann.ie/news_timetable.php?id=1223&month=Dec

Someone in Bus Éireann has been listening to Passengers and Drivers:)

munchkin_utd

foggy_lad wrote: »

Someone in Bus Éireann has been listening to Passengers and Drivers:)

its only for the christmas period and the new year sales which are busy there at Blanchardstown centre so you'd presume it'd be back to normal then for the rest of the year like it was last year (IIRC).

AlekSmart

munchkin_utd wrote: »

its only for the christmas period and the new year sales which are busy there at Blanchardstown centre so you'd presume it'd be back to normal then for the rest of the year like it was last year (IIRC).

Indeed....One can almost sense the reluctance rising from the page.....Down with this sort of thing

im invisible

Where abouts is the bus stop on the outbound sliproad?

tom23

AlekSmart wrote: »

Indeed....One can almost sense the reluctance rising from the page.....Down with this sort of thing

It's shows that there is compromise when it's not sustainable, so enough people complaining can make a difference.

though on the flip side i also get the impression it's more for them than us hard pressed commuters! . Still ill take anything rather than spend a minute longer than I have to on a bus!

gazzer

Got the fastest bus ever yesterday from Busarus to Virginia. Left Busarus at 4.30. Driver (none BE bus) Went via Port Tunnel, M50 and M3. First stop was Virginia at 5.45. 75 minute journey.