BusConnects Dublin - Bus Network Changes Discussion

LXFlyer

Again, take any date with a grain of salt until reports of driver route training having started filter out.

bk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122165049#Comment_122165049

I noted a Go Ahead training bus on Griffith Avenue today. Might have just been passing through so not a confirmation.

Also the new EA class single decker EV buses have started turning up in the Phibsboro Depot, as reported in the other forum.

She also says that the O orbital and N2 orbital are planned for November.

I would have thought that the N2 would need to come at the same time as the E, as otherwise folks would lose service when the 13 is replaced.

Maybe it is the O is in November and the N2 at the same time as the E.

The O is going to be a bigger job as it requires brand new single decker EV buses, which require chargers, training, etc. and given the frequency a lot more buses and drivers. So far just 3 of a fleet of 30 EA buses has turned up.

I'd guess the N2 should be more straight forward if it uses regular Double Deckers and much lower frequency.

But all just guess work on my part, happy to be corrected.

trellheim

What's the big attraction of the N2 ? Ballyboggan rd unserved currently, sure (but there's no houses on it, and its quicker to walk down the canal and through the gap to get to the factories) , and useful for getting close to DCU from Rathborne etc/Broombridge , but I'm struggling otherwise where you wouldn't be quicker going into town

DaBluBoi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122165672#Comment_122165672

Allows interchange between all Spines on the north side, the Green Line, the Red Line, and all train lines

cgcsb

That's really desperate.

But at least there's a date for the O, which really ought to have been the first priority.

cgcsb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122165672#Comment_122165672

It's a way to go north-south west of the city centre which is currently impossible. A trip from anywhere west of Drumcondra to Heuston (or anywhere further west or south) must currently go on a near circular tour of Dublin City Centre. Being able to get from Finglas/Glasnevin etc, directly to Heuston is priceless.

trellheim

I can't really see it being quicker than via town though ? for the crowded bits from cabra on down there is no bus lane for it whereas the routes via town to the LUAS to get to either railway would be quicker and more frequent in most cases . If a single bus journey is the most desirable thing going, then sure.

Wait and see I suppose it'll all come out in the wash

VG31

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122166156#Comment_122166156

How is going from Cabra, Glasnevin or Drumcondra to Clontarf going to be quicker by going via the city centre? It's completely the wrong direction.

If I want to go to Clontarf/Marino/Raheny etc and on the other side Cabra or the Phoenix Park I almost always drive. It would involve 2+ buses otherwise and takes ages. The N2 will take pretty much the exact same route I would drive to those places so it will only be slightly slower than driving.

The N2 certainly won't be fast on Griffith Avenue at peak times. The junctions with the Ballymun and Swords Road can be particularly slow. But it's the same if you're in a car.

Maybe when Metro North is finally built that plus the DART will be quicker.

bk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122166329#Comment_122166329

Yep, I live close to this line, it will be a game changer in accessibility for me.

• Want to head to Phoenix Park/Dublin Zoo for the day, now have a direct service, rather then the current painful routing via town.
• Getting the train to and from Cork, can now get a bus directly from Heuston to home, rather then dragging bags and kid through town and back out. Just think of all the students arriving into Heuston on a Sunday evening and heading back to their accommodation around DCU.
• Head down to Clontarf DART station for onward journeys on the DART.

There is also folk on Griffith Avenue who will be losing service when the 13 goes away. The N2 will replace that. Might not be the biggest deal for able body folks, but important for the less mobile.

cgcsb

I'll use it to go from Glasnevin to kilmainham for work which otherwise would be close to an hour journey via O'Connell Street, I can drive it in about 45 minutes in rush hour and cycle it in about 35 mins. I'm hoping the N2 will take roughly 45 mins

Daith

Coming from Finglas itself, I'll be really curious if it's quicker to get the 40e to Broombridge and then the N2 to Heuston, or just the 40 to O'Connell St and Red line I'd normally get.

I guess I could get the 40 to Old Finglas Road and switch to Ballyboggan road if the bus stops are close.

It's nice to have multiple options though.

AngryLips

I just don't understand why the N2 frequencies will be so poor …especially compared to the N4

cgcsb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122167980#Comment_122167980

The problem is you just don't know of the 40e will turn up or not, the app always shows it as 'scheduled' which basically means bus roulette.

cgcsb

Exactly, the inner orbitals should surely be more frequent than outer orbitals due to greater populations. The O is also to be low frequency, I predict this will become the most popular route in the city and the frequency will be insufficient from day one and there'll be chronic delays due to no bus priority

CatInABox

Yeah, I'm going to guess that we're going to see "no one could have predicted this level of demand for these services, we need more investment to meet it" statements soon after both of those routes launch.

Beta Ray Bill

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122168535#Comment_122168535

I'll add to that.

Since Christmas I've been using a combo of Luas from Harcourt St to Dundrum and then S6 to Rathfarnham pick up my kid and then reverse. Bus → Luas → Dart. (Note you could to S6 to Blackrock and Dart but its slower)
This was not possible prior to November 2023, I used to have to WFH on Friday in the morning and drive over the M50 as the 75 Bus service was poor.

The S6 is always busy, I'm delighted it exists the way it does now with a more direct route than the 75. (It used to do an unnecessary loop of Ballinteer)

Another car off the M50 on Fridays I suppose.

I think this is Prime example of how public transport should exist (Light/Heavy Rail carrying you most of the way with the final 15% of the journey being on a local Bus)

Note this costs a grand total of €2 if I time it right, €4 euro if I'm delayed slightly on the way back or to early going. There is absolutely no reason not to use it.

Daith

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122168501#Comment_122168501

Oh I'm very familiar with the unpredictability of the 40e. Absolute pain when it doesn't show up.

jd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122168505#Comment_122168505

The O is meant to be every 8 minutes, which is hardly low frequency. (average wait time 4 minutes)

N2, by contrast, is once every 15-20 minutes

bk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122168908#Comment_122168908

Yeah, the O is actually going to be the highest frequency service in the city at 8 minutes!

Combined spine routes like the A will have a higher combined frequency of 3 minutes closer to the city, but that is only because it is combining the A1 to 4 routes, which each will have an individual 12 minute frequency.

BTW the N2 will go to a painful 30 minute frequency all weekend! I'm not looking for anything like the O or even N4, but say 15 minutes all the time, even weekends would be more usable.

cgcsb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122168908#Comment_122168908

Yes but not like the spines.

And let's face it the paper frequency won't ever happen. Current 46a has 20 minute peak hour gaps and 40 minute gaps on Sunday

madnessnmayhem

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122169275#Comment_122169275

IIs 46A regularly enough?

trellheim

46a is one of my busroutes - hardly ever a wait over 10 minutes except at late hours ( and jammed all day long as well at all hours ) .

mikeybhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122169125#Comment_122169125

Probably cos the O is gonna be single decker operated so needs to be highly frequent to avoid capacity issues. I actually thought when they it was first suggested that it would be ideal for bendies/BRT since it couldn't take doubles.

trellheim

O at 8 mins is only for core daytime hours then drops back to 10 and 15 at other hours and weekends. With only single deck I can't see it working on the 46a NCR segment with equivalent loadings at Phibsboro ( empirical evidence 2 buses this last fortnight at 1730 on a weekday its 80% full doubledeckers heading west ) which is supposed to be on that bus, so right out of the box not enough capacity.

O is planned for same freq as 46a so I dont see how it will work with singles

mikeybhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122170980#Comment_122170980

The single deckers should have a decent enough capacity not many seats and plenty of standing room I'd say 70-80 per bus

halfpastneverr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122168731#Comment_122168731

Same for the S8. I get it from Tallaght to Sandyford most weekends & its never not busy, no matter what time I get it at morning/afternoon/evening. So much easier than having to Luas into town, switch to the green line Luas and head all the way out again. I just wish S8 was a bit more frequent like the W2 is. W2 is a serious upgrade on the auld 76.

TranslatorPS

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122171287#Comment_122171287

In all fairness, for the amount of floor space available, 10.5-metre-ish double-deckers typically have rather poor capacity, actually, compared to the Contiental standards at least: being legalised for approx. 90-100 pax puts them usually in the same capacity regime as 12-metre single-deckers in mainland Europe.

p_haugh

The new stops outside the Sports Centre are now in use for the S4, meaning it doesn't do the unnecessary double loop at the roundabout to serve the stop at the 142 terminus anymore (for the Liffey Valley bound service at least).

AX612

Dublin Bus are giving some more of their vehicles to Go-Ahead for use on the N2 I believe, could be wrong!

p_haugh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122172957#Comment_122172957

Yeah 4 SGs are heading to Go-Ahead, according to the Tapatalk forums it's all of SG425-428