Changes to city bus routes

rushian

redron74 wrote: »

The situation is still a bit messy this morning, but not as many angry commuters as yesterday. Bus Eireann is very lucky the weather has been ok (nice and sunny this morning, only patchy light drizzle at times yesterday).

The fact that one of the 304s went into Raheen Industrial Estate yesterday morning shows how much pressure they were under. They knew people didn't know their routes had been changed.
On the City Centre-Raheen routes, those who get on at The Crescent (O'Connell Monument), O'Connell Avenue and Punch's Cross no longer have a bus that serves the Industrial Estate.
The 301 only serves the Industrial Estate between 7:00 and 9:00 in the morning and between 4:00 and 6:00 in the evening. While that will probably accommodate the majority of users, I wonder if they did a quick survey of businesses there to find out when they had their shift changes? If you start an evening shift at 4:00, then you're going to be late for work from now on! Also, trainees at FAS get a half day on fridays, and the dedicated FAS bus no longer runs (think it was cut last year).
The journey time for the 301 is longer than the old 304. I was a few minutes late this morning as a result, and traffic wasn't a noticeable issue.

You can no longer get from Clare Street/Dublin Road directly to UL. This now requires two journeys. There may be other similar changes that haven't affected me yet.

Anyway, the new routes obviously have potential to bring a better service to people in many parts of the city previously not served very well, if at all. We'll find out over the next week or two how much benefit is there. But big losers in these changes are those who want to get to Raheen Industrial Estate.
Let's hope the driver remembers that he's supposed to come into the estate at 4:00. He only has to do this once or maybe twice in his shift - every other time he gets to the South Court Hotel he turns to go into town.

In fairness to the drivers, they all do their best to keep the timetable. But the timetable takes no account of delays due to traffic congestion. Unlike in Dublin, there are no bus lanes in Limerick City (there are a few semi-useful stretches in the suburbs, which were put in by Limerick CoCo). Therefore, when a bus falls behind time there is no way it can catch up until the traffic congestion eases. This can also impinge on the drivers entitlement to a tea break and a lunch break (unless you are self employed, no one works through their break times).
There are no extra services scheduled at peak times either, which might alleviate some of the deterioration in service due to the combination of traffic congestion and the lack of dedicated bus lanes.

I hope we don't find ourselves back in the bad old days when you could easily walk (stroll) from UL to O'Connell Street quicker than getting the bus. When I was a student in the 90s, you would often wait for up to an hour in the afternoons for a bus to come. Then sometimes the driver wouldn't let you on because the bus was too overcrowded. If you got on the bus, it would then take 30-40 minutes to travel into town.

I have a feeling they didnt put much thought into issues like traffic. How did you find out about the 301 going into the industrial estate - because they have no information on this anywhere?

Also - I normally get the bus back to town from the stop accross from Raheen Church. Yesterday there was a small handwritten note in the bus stop saying "the 304 no longer serves this stop - there is a new stop at the side of the church". Theyre not great on the communication side of things

Firefox11

rushian wrote: »

I have a feeling they didnt put much thought into issues like traffic. How did you find out about the 301 going into the industrial estate - because they have no information on this anywhere?

Also - I normally get the bus back to town from the stop accross from Raheen Church. Yesterday there was a small handwritten note in the bus stop saying "the 304 no longer serves this stop - there is a new stop at the side of the church". Theyre not great on the communication side of things

Yes. So the Raheen stop now is the one on the Church Road?

It's funny i had to come on boards to find this out!

Poxyshamrock

So which bus now serves the industrial estate?
The 301 or the 304?

According to Bus Eireann's network map, the 304 serves the industrial estate.

rushian

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

So which bus now serves the industrial estate?
The 301 or the 304?

According to Bus Eireann's network map, the 304 serves the industrial estate.

Apparently its the 301. The 304 turns left to go to Ballycummin just before the Raheen Church so never goes into the estate. The great thing about this is that the 301 only runs every 30 minutes and as redron74 mentioned only goes into the Industrial estate between 7-9 AM and 4-6 PM.

whatever about the changes to the rest of the city routes (which I am unfamilier with tbh) the Raheen route is the busiest in the city and now has less buses and longer journeys. It makes no sense

miralize

Could Bus Eireann not be clear in creating their maps? I actually have no idea where exactly the bus route for the 304 goes. What happens to the dooradoyle stops?

redron74

The route map on the Bus Eireann website and reproduced in the local newspapers is misleading on the 304 serving Raheen Industrial Estate. To clarify for those who haven't tried out the new route yet, the 304 turns left BEFORE Raheen church and goes to Ballycummin.
I only found out about the 301 serving Raheen Industrial Estate in the mornings and afternoons by going in to the Bus Eireann information office in Colbert Station.
Nowhere have they publish the detailed route maps with intermediate stops. So unless you are travelling from the route start point to the route end point, it's not clear what the exact route is!
The route map seems to indicate that the 304 serves the Bus/Rail Station, but how does it do this? After all, it still picks up at The Crescent (O'Connell Monument).

Also, while the departure times from the City Centre may be similar to what they were before, the journey times are longer. With the reduced frequency of the services, this might mean that you have the choice of either being a few minutes late for work every day or being nearly half an hour early!

ULMarc

The 301 is the only bus serving the industrial estate at "peak times"

The information on the website about the 304 is incorrect according to the men on the ground and the 304 does not serve the industrial estate. Though this morning we were dropped off by Churchill Meadows and hopped the fence.

The 301 is scheduled to pick-up in town at 07:40 and 08:10 to drop-off in the estate at 08:00 and 08:30 respectively. That's what I know for sure. It would be understandable if there was also a pick-up at 08:40 for 09:00

I was told this by the Bus Eireann lad in town today. He says he's keeping an eye on things and voicing his concerns. He recommended that others do the same and voice their expectations.

rushian

redron74 wrote: »

The route map on the Bus Eireann website and reproduced in the local newspapers is misleading on the 304 serving Raheen Industrial Estate. To clarify for those who haven't tried out the new route yet, the 304 turns left BEFORE Raheen church and goes to Ballycummin.
I only found out about the 301 serving Raheen Industrial Estate in the mornings and afternoons by going in to the Bus Eireann information office in Colbert Station.
Nowhere have they publish the detailed route maps with intermediate stops. So unless you are travelling from the route start point to the route end point, it's not clear what the exact route is!
The route map seems to indicate that the 304 serves the Bus/Rail Station, but how does it do this? After all, it still picks up at The Crescent (O'Connell Monument).

Also, while the departure times from the City Centre may be similar to what they were before, the journey times are longer. With the reduced frequency of the services, this might mean that you have the choice of either being a few minutes late for work every day or being nearly half an hour early!

Once it picks up from the stop next to the station it takes a right and goes back around by the peoples park, down Mallow Street and onto O'Connell Street. Its madness - adds 10 minutes to a journey for ONE stop at the station

podge79

the 304 (heading into town) turns right just before o'connell monument and heads up to the bus/rail station via pery square and upper mallow street - it turns left at FAS office and then goes stratight and down roches street and onto henry street... very long route really... it goes all over the place out in raheen

miralize

Recieved an email from someone regarding the 304 issue

The 304 Route now incorporates the 312 Ballycummin service. It operates from Ballycummin Terminus down to Dooradoyle Road and now turns up Mulcaire Drive (Road) and right on to Avonmore Road and out at the traffic Lights and then right down to the Regional Hospital and then back into town.

Also got

The Stops on the Mulcaire Road area as follows:

Mulcaire Road No. 1 Castle Park
Mulcaire Road No. 1 Crescent Court
Mulcaire Road Opposite Junction with Owenmore Drive


The Stops on Avonmore Road are being looked at presently and I will go back to you when I receive the exact locations.

say_who_now?

Does anyone know lads is the 312 or the 304 still picking up at O' Connell Avenue to go to Ballinacurra Gardens?

I'm standing here since 5 past and no sign of any bus coming from town. Two buses made stops across the road in that time and then turned off down towards the People's Park direction?

Poxyshamrock

say_who_now? wrote: »

Does anyone know lads is the 312 or the 304 still picking up at O' Connell Avenue to go to Ballinacurra Gardens?

I'm standing here since 5 past and no sign of any bus coming from town. Two buses made stops across the road in that time and then turned off down towards the People's Park direction?

I think the bus should come out of the street where the other bus went in.

Just to let you know too. The 312 no longer exists.
The 301 is now the other Raheen bus.

say_who_now?

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

I think the bus should come out of the street where the other bus went in.

Just to let you know too. The 312 no longer exists.
The 301 is now the other Raheen bus.

Thanks Poxy, I had just thought the 312 or the 304 would be along, they were usually the buses that came, I ended up just calling a cab after. I'll get a better look at the new timetables and pick-up locations/routes later when I get home.

olga9999

Does anyone know where is now the bus stop if you are near the Bus/Railway station on your way to Raheen from City Centre? Is it the one in Roches Street or the one close to the Bus Station where the old 304A used to stop on the way to Raheen?

Thanks a million for the help.:)

eclectichoney

Madness that the 304 now tries to serve the station - it is only a 5 minute walk from the crescent - close enough for most people I would think.

SarahBeep!

So.... I got the bus at the lodge at 9am(ish... 9.04 perhaps) which is fine. When we got to the ballysimon rd roundabout after Dunnes and there were THREE 304's on the round about at the EXACT SAME TIME!!

I was working 10-2 but because my boss is amazing she let me off early to grab the 2PM bus because I was in a rush. It didnt leave till almost quarter past. There was another 304 which passed us out on the Dublin Road.

Got a bus at the Kemmy stop in UL at 16.35 to head back to work (split shift, had to go to UL for a class) and another 304 passed us out at some point on the way into town.

Then (the FINAL leg of my journey today :P) managed to get the 21.15 308 outside Centra.


What the absolute f*ck.

highlydebased

SarahBeep! wrote: »

passed us out at some point on the way into town.

Then (the FINAL leg of my journey today :P) managed to get the 21.15 308 outside Centra.


What the absolute f*ck.

I saw the 308 today too....how confusing

Also saw THREE 304's at the lights on Mulgrave Street coming into town from UL at about 12.

redron74

olga9999 wrote: »

Does anyone know where is now the bus stop if you are near the Bus/Railway station on your way to Raheen from City Centre? Is it the one in Roches Street or the one close to the Bus Station where the old 304A used to stop on the way to Raheen?

Thanks a million for the help.:)

The one just down from the bus gate at the station. That's your stop. It's outside the post office there.

SarahBeep!

Left standing at the lodge again. No 9am bus it seems. On the 1.30 bus now because it bothered turning up.

And another thing, that new timetable layout is NOT dyslexic friendly.

Risteard

The 308 appearing is due to glitch in the system. Separate codes are entered for the route and and route number. Driver inputs the new codes but sometimes after entering the destination, the route number reverts back to 308. Driver wouldn't know as as far as he/she's concerned they've entered the new codes and can't see the sign from where they're sitting.

roxana

How to read those timetables anyway? I'm soo confused

olga9999

Thanks a million.
I hope tomorrow I manage to get a bus there without major issues but considering what I'm reading here it looks I'm going to need a miracle.

redron74

Well, there were at least three of us standing on O'Connell Street waiting for the 301 at 8:10 this morning, and it never came. We don't know if it just didn't run, or if the driver got the route wrong and missed our stop!

Yesterday was the first time the 301 served Raheen Industrial Estate at 4:05. But there were very few to pick up there, as most had walked out to the roundabout having been left waiting for half an hour extra on monday and tuesday.

I've met a few people who have been very confused by the 301 route and how it is advertised as serving the Regional Hospital. It only passes the hospital on its way back into town, so the journey time from the city centre to the hospital is nearly 30 minutes. One guy got anxious when the bus turned down Fr Russell Road and got off at the next stop and walked from there.

Bus Eireann have been very lucky with the weather this week, in that it has generally been dry at peak times, so people aren't as distressed about this mess as they might be. But those who are trying to get from Raheen into town to meet buses serving rural areas are very stressed out, with some resigning to the fact that they will miss the bus they have always gotten before and will have to hang around for an hour or more for the next one.

rushian

redron74 wrote: »

Well, there were at least three of us standing on O'Connell Street waiting for the 301 at 8:10 this morning, and it never came. We don't know if it just didn't run, or if the driver got the route wrong and missed our stop!

Yesterday was the first time the 301 served Raheen Industrial Estate at 4:05. But there were very few to pick up there, as most had walked out to the roundabout having been left waiting for half an hour extra on monday and tuesday.

I've met a few people who have been very confused by the 301 route and how it is advertised as serving the Regional Hospital. It only passes the hospital on its way back into town, so the journey time from the city centre to the hospital is nearly 30 minutes. One guy got anxious when the bus turned down Fr Russell Road and got off at the next stop and walked from there.

Bus Eireann have been very lucky with the weather this week, in that it has generally been dry at peak times, so people aren't as distressed about this mess as they might be. But those who are trying to get from Raheen into town to meet buses serving rural areas are very stressed out, with some resigning to the fact that they will miss the bus they have always gotten before and will have to hang around for an hour or more for the next one.

According to the timetable - the Regional Hospital is the terminus for this route but as you say it only gets to the hospital on the way back into town. People are better off getting the 304 from town for the Hospital as it stops there on the way out from town OR you can get off at the stop just before Fr Russell Road on the 301 and walk up to the Hospital

ULMarc

rushian wrote: »

According to the timetable - the Regional Hospital is the terminus for this route but as you say it only gets to the hospital on the way back into town. People are better off getting the 304 from town for the Hospital as it stops there on the way out from town OR you can get off at the stop just before Fr Russell Road on the 301 and walk up to the Hospital

This seems to be how they want you to do it anyway. And it's understandable but the regularity of these services has gone way down. It's now very difficult to manage transfers when you can be left waiting anywhere between a half hour and hour for the next bus.

rushian

ULMarc wrote: »

This seems to be how they want you to do it anyway. And it's understandable but the regularity of these services has gone way down. It's now very difficult to manage transfers when you can be left waiting anywhere between a half hour and hour for the next bus.

Its a joke. As somebody said earlier in the thread - its madness that every 304 and 301 bus now serves the station when its a 5 minute walk from O'Connell avenue. The new routes add 10-15 minutes to the journey for 1 stop

kilburn

Lads realistically it is only right that the bus station is served by the city buses, it happens in most cities around the world and some people arrrive by train and bus into the city who dont know where the bus stops are and need this service

rushian

kilburn wrote: »

Lads realistically it is only right that the bus station is served by the city buses, it happens in most cities around the world and some people arrrive by train and bus into the city who dont know where the bus stops are and need this service

Agreed. It's more the way they've organised it is the problem. Less buses, longer journeys and the fact that they don't inform anybody of the stops along the route

Precious flower

I was waiting outside UL for the bus this morning to head home (had only the one tutorial from 9-10) and two 304 buses came at the same time! Why is that happening? That's the second time I've seen that since the new bus route came in. Buses are extremely crowded now too while bus drivers seem to try and pack as many people in as possible (which to be fair I suppose it's hard to refuse people at bus stops who may have been waiting there a good while) but it's fairly tough when you're being squashed especially when you're a midget like me:p! Glad though that the 304 seems to always stop near the bus station now, dead handy for me.

Sometimes it can be so frustrating though when you're waiting for the city bus, needing to catch another bus home and it's over a half an hour late, even giving yourself plenty of time to wait doesn't guarantee the bus will be on time! I suppose that's more down to traffic but it can be so annoying sometimes, the unreliability. I hope this new route doesn't make the bus even more unpredictable, friend told me she had to wait for 45 minutes for the city bus at UL the other day!

olga9999

The 304 has a very similar route right now to the one it existed several years ago, maybe 2004 or 2005, please correct me on that. And on my experience then it was horrendous. You could be waiting for the bus in UL for an hour and suddenly had 3 coming together. At the time the bus was every 20 minutes not 15 minutes like now, but the problem was going through the city and going through Dublin Road. The traffic was pure madness and the roads have not changed.

The only thing that might have improved the traffic a little bit was the closure of several places in Castletroy because of the crisis and in Raheen for the same reason. But that had also increased the number of people taking the bus because they want to save money instead of taking taxis or paying for a car.

If there is one route that they should never have joined is the 304 and 308 into the new 304. They go through the busiest roads in Limerick and the buses are NEVER going to be on time at pick hour. They were a mess 10 years ago and they will again be a mess.