When was the 3.30 nitelink dropped!

hatrickpatrick

Just left a club early to catch the 3.30 nitelink, which there wasn't. Just went on Dublin Bus's website and they say the 7n only runs once an hour now instead of every half hour? When was this changed? Was there any announcement about it?

Disastrous move if you ask me, drunken idiots have been congregating here on D'Olier street waiting for it for the last half hour and things are starting to get pretty ugly, to the point at which I'm actually a bit nervous using my phone right now in case one of the many aggressive drunken muppets I'm surrounded by swipes it.

Beauty of the earlier nitelink was it took the xxi/play nightclub crowd which tended to thin out the number of scraps etc.

When and why did this change?

Cookie_Monster

From DB site
Operative Date: 25/01/2013

KD345

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

When and why did this change?

The most recent changes to the 7N took place in January due to falling passenger numbers.

LXFlyer

Here is the announcement:

http://dublinbus.ie/en/News-Centre/General-News-Archive/Revised-Nitelink-Service/

AlekSmart

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Just left a club early to catch the 3.30 nitelink, which there wasn't. Just went on Dublin Bus's website and they say the 7n only runs once an hour now instead of every half hour? When was this changed? Was there any announcement about it?

Disastrous move if you ask me, drunken idiots have been congregating here on D'Olier street waiting for it for the last half hour and things are starting to get pretty ugly, to the point at which I'm actually a bit nervous using my phone right now in case one of the many aggressive drunken muppets I'm surrounded by swipes it.

Beauty of the earlier nitelink was it took the xxi/play nightclub crowd which tended to thin out the number of scraps etc.

When and why did this change?

This post actually underlines one of the glaring management failings currently the norm within the CIE group.

Whilst group infrastructure has never been more modern and attractive and labour agreements more flexible,there is virtually no willingness to make any attempt at increasing or improving core services and products such as Nitelink.

However,I note a significant statement by the CIE Group Chairman,Ms Vivienne Jupp last week whilst addressing the Dáil Joint Transport Committee.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/bus-and-rail-passengers-face-threat-of-new-fare-hikes-29432195.html

Group Chairman Vivienne Jupp told the Joint Transport Committee the money would only be made available to Dublin Bus, Bus Eireann and Iarnrod Eireann if they reduced costs and grew passenger numbers and revenue.

Although only a single sentence,it is quite some time since I heard any CIE Chairperson make reference to "growing passenger numbers".

I will go out on a limb again and suggest that there is now substantial business in Dublin for a full-service Night Bus Service augmented at weekends and events by NiteLink.

I very much hope that Ms Jupp will kick some BAC managerial ass in an attempt to get movement on this.

The infrastructure and working agreements have been in place for some time now,yet such is the managerial mindset that ANY reference to trying new stuff is greeted with crucifixes and garlic.....:rolleyes:

hatrickpatrick

^ I've honestly always felt that this is a serious niche for a private operator to get into. Hell, Finnegan's Bus runs on a Thursday night at 3 and is always packed...

I'm surprised this decision goes as far back as January, I could've sworn I've taken it at 3.30 more recently than that O_o

LXFlyer

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

^ I've honestly always felt that this is a serious niche for a private operator to get into. Hell, Finnegan's Bus runs on a Thursday night at 3 and is always packed...

I'm surprised this decision goes as far back as January, I could've sworn I've taken it at 3.30 more recently than that O_o

There is nothing stopping any private operator from doing it.

In fact when the night time services started first there were a large number of private operators involved, but they all fizzled out except Finnegans to Bray and Greystones.

The fact that no private operator has attempted one since says quite a lot frankly.

Cool_CM

The SU in Maynooth tried operating a private bus during the week for a while but it gradually fizzled out.

dfx-

Has anyone ever experienced the famed "buses will be more frequent if demand requires". Has there ever been an extra bus put on...

thomasj

They kept the 3.30 departures for the 39N and the 67N .

Lifelike

lxflyer wrote: »

There is nothing stopping any private operator from doing it.

In fact when the night time services started first there were a large number of private operators involved, but they all fizzled out except Finnegans to Bray and Greystones.

The fact that no private operator has attempted one since says quite a lot frankly.

It shouldn't be up to a private operator to provide the service. In most other cities the same operator provides both day and night bus services.

The problem with the nitelink service is not that there aren't enough people to use it, it's because it's a poorly run service. Where else in Europe has a night bus service that is ridiculously overpriced, runs one direction only, doesn't allow pick ups en route and only runs 2 nights a week?

I'd love to see London's night bus system replaced with a nitelink-style service with buses departing from trafalgar square, a 4 or 5 pound fare and no pick ups and see what happens. It probably wouldn't last long either!

LXFlyer

Lifelike wrote: »

It shouldn't be up to a private operator to provide the service. In most other cities the same operator provides both day and night bus services.

The problem with the nitelink service is not that there aren't enough people to use it, it's because it's a poorly run service. Where else in Europe has a night bus service that is ridiculously overpriced, runs one direction only, doesn't allow pick ups en route and only runs 2 nights a week?

I'd love to see London's night bus system replaced with a nitelink-style service with buses departing from trafalgar square, a 4 or 5 pound fare and no pick ups and see what happens. It probably wouldn't last long either!

That boils down to a complete lack of any political will to provide such a service.

It would require a greater PSO subsidy for one, and frankly I don't think that given this nation's love affair with alcohol that the government have any wish to make it easier to stay out later.

Cookie_Monster

dfx- wrote: »

Has anyone ever experienced the famed "buses will be more frequent if demand requires". Has there ever been an extra bus put on...

I'm sure I've had to wait for a second 7N to be hastily arranged some years back

Cool_CM

dfx- wrote: »

Has anyone ever experienced the famed "buses will be more frequent if demand requires". Has there ever been an extra bus put on...

BE were putting on extra buses from Cork to Youghal yesterday because of the queues to head to the beach but that's about it.