BusConnects Dublin - Bus Network Changes Discussion

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123154915#Comment_123154915

The Navan Road gates are too small, I believe.

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123155149#Comment_123155149

I think you mean the Castleknock gate.

noelfirl

The N2 was if I recall correctly supposed to go in via Parkgate Street and out via Cabra Gate, but the OPW also nixed that one on the grounds that the gate isn't wide enough and couldn't be widened.

Basically, much of it comes down to OPW apathy and an unwillingness to do anything that tampers with how they want their fiefdom to be managed (as well as a complete unwillingness by the higher upper people above them to knock heads together and make things happen).

Tarabuses

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123148294#Comment_123148294

I wonder why the decision was made to send the 63 replacement from Kiltiernan to Blackrock rather than Dun Laoghaire? The original plan was to send both the 226 and 227 (as then numbered) to Blackrock but this was later changed with the L27 going to Dun Laoghaire. While the intention of Bus Connects is that passengers from Kiltiernan heading for Dun Laoghaire can change to the L27 on the common section, in reality this leaves a wait of 15 minutes or so between buses (if it turns up at all!)

mikeybhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123155967#Comment_123155967

Best option would be to get the L26 to Deansgrange then connect to the E2 for DL. The L26 is replacing sections of the 84/a on Clonkeen and Deansgrange Road. It will also replace the 114 along Carysfort Avenue.

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123155967#Comment_123155967

I suspect that Ballyogan’s social needs meant that it had a greater need of a direct link to the council offices in Dún Laoghaire.

Surely switching at Deans Grange Cross from the L26 to the E2 would be a more sensible (and faster) way of connecting to Dún Laoghaire?

BusGuy

I remember back in the day when the 142's had AX's (but no EV's…) I'd say the 142 should be shortened to just around Rathgar, thank the S4…

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123155220#Comment_123155220

The OPW's preciousness with regard to the Phoenix Park needs to be tackled head-on by the government.

Look at similar parks abroad like the Bois de Boulogne or the many parks in London and we don't see the same attitude. Wilderness is for the wilderness, not for the centre of a city, the centre of a city is for amenity of those living there, that actually increases the viability of the wilderness outside of the city.

CatInABox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123155220#Comment_123155220

Yes, it's so strange, they spent a fair amount of money getting the gates professionally refurbished and put back into position, which they then use as a reason/excuse to not allow the NTA to run buses through the gate, as the gates are too historical to use with buses, but those gates are hit regularly by cars and trucks. It's happened at least twice since they put them back on. You'd think that they'd move the gates somewhere more appropriate and allow buses through, but no sign of any intelligence yet.

trellheim

The bus that best served the park - the 46a - has been removed. The 99 bus gets very limited traffic as I am out running beside it very frequently but if you want to get to the visitor centre its a good service The northside of the park is effectively the Navan Road and has buses at 3-4 mins headways and the south side doesnt need any more than the current service as far as I can see. The North road along the inside of the park has only a few (2-3) lodges on it and is laced with speed bumps so why run a bus service along it .

I feel very very strongly the N2 should not run along blackhorse but instead up Old Cabra Road and across up Ratoath road to rejoin N2 as current , you still get the Navan Road interchange and just miss a small amount of Skreen road traffic , that bit of Ratoath is the deaf village and not served by buses currently. There seems to be an obsession with touching McKee say, but its not needed

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123158451#Comment_123158451

That suggested N2 routing isn’t much use to anyone going to the Park from anywhere along the eastern part of the route?

That’s really the point of the routing that it takes.

thomasj

No Southside DART services this coming weekend so will be interesting to see how the new setup will deal with the increased pressure.

Train tickets will be accepted on Dublin bus/go ahead for people going between Dun Laoghaire and Bray.

Shuttle service for folk going to Greystones and coach transfers from Connolly /Dun Laoghaire to Bray for Rosslare

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123158592#Comment_123158592

Comparing the E1 with the 145/155, it’s one less bus an hour between Bray and the city on Saturdays (6 -v- 7) and two less each hour on Sundays (4 -v- 6) since the changes were introduced.

The 45a continues to link Bray and Dún Laoghaire every 20 mins on Saturday and every 30 mins on Sunday.

trellheim

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123158474#Comment_123158474

A fair point it might seem

Two in return :

1. The original N2 route answered this by going up Infirmary road, because ( as we know) for some mystery reason Heuston changes arent done
2. The existing N2 route park access (ways in) is
   1. Opposite Grangegorman Military cemetery - leaves you at the back of the Zoo and the Aras with effectively no amenities ( over half a mile walk from the park ingress to the Zoo entrance in one direction and over a mile walk to the visitor centre in the other
   2. the second one a few hundred meters NW is much the same just a longer walk to the Zoo

That's it . There's nowhere inside either of those gates really that doesnt require a fair hoof. The Zoo, the Aras, and Ratra house etc form near unbroken walls and fences on the inside all the way along I'm a local resident .

3. Finally in the case I make above, the park can be easily accessed by merely changing onto the 11 at Hanlons corner and it will drop them with only a short hop to the Zoo

OscarMIlde

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123148655#Comment_123148655

Yep, I know the C spine is regarded as the most succesful launch, but honestly from using the city centre commuter service it's because the dropoff in passenger numbers caused by covid/work from home masked the deficiencies in the service. Anecdotally I know a fair few people who would have used the bus five times a week who now work from home part of the week and drive the days they are in. I've also witnessed people ringing for lifts, getting taxis a lot, or walking away from the bus stop on a regular basis during term time when the service is overloaded. Those walkaways are not measurable, but they are real disgruntled people.

D8 boy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123157495#Comment_123157495

Many, many moons ago, I did my degree dissertation about allowing buses through the Phoenix Park. The OPW were resistant, and many local residents tended to view the park as a nice way to drive into town and didn't like the idea of buses. And my modelling suggested that the impact on modal share would be limited as people's transport decisions were largely based on parking availability. If they had parking available at their workplace they would drive, even if the bus offered similar journey times. It was all a bit dispiriting.
What's funny is that there is constant stream of hop-on hop-off tour buses trundling up and down Chesterfield Ave, but no-one seems to mind.

mikeybhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123158451#Comment_123158451

The 99 is a complete waste of a bus and a driver that could be better utilised elsewhere.

I'm convinced the only reason for the introduction of the route was to get the OPW to open up to the idea of service buses using the Phoenix Park. Does anyone why the OPW are so resistant to regular service buses using the Park yet open top tour buses have served the Park for many years with no objection from the OPW.

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123161355#Comment_123161355

Do you know the reasons why the people that used to get the bus 5 days per week now drive on office days?

Is it because it just takes longer on the bus now, due to having to change (and incur two sets of delays) buses?

john boye

Mad that this idea that Bus Connects means everyone has to get two buses still pervades after all these years.

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123161828#Comment_123161828

Not everyone needs to get 2 buses, but a lot of the complaints appear to come from those that used to get 1 bus and now have to get 2.

When both routes are unreliable, you can understand why they would just use the car.

Compare that to getting the tube in London, where the number of changes doesn't even enter the thought process, because you know you will be waiting 2 or 3 mins, if that, to change and get moving again.

Now waiting for driver changes, no getting stuck behind traffic etc.

OscarMIlde

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123161815#Comment_123161815

It was due to the unreliability of actually getting on a bus. There were a reduced number of buses, so buses might not pick up if full. Would be worse on certain days or mayhem if services were cancelled. Before there was a decent mix of starting points that prevented all the buses being full before they reached downstream. Some x buses would start at UCD, there was at least one that began on westmoreland street. The scheduling is poor also and the decision to route the 67X replacement only as far as Salesian college, when the original route went to Maynooth means a lot of Leixlip and Maynooth passengers are competing for 25X which are beyond capacity, while the 27X is generally fairly empty. Add to that C3 is only twice an hour, with 52 once an hour, 5 mins behind one of the C3 buses. Before there was two 66, a 66a and a 66b, on the quarter hour. It means long delays if buses are full or cancelled.

dublinman1990

ABP have confirmed to the NTA that they can go ahead with submitting CPO's 'without modification' for the Bray to City Centre Core Bus Corridor.

https://www.independent.ie/regionals/wicklow/bray-news/nta-to-roll-out-compulsory-purchase-orders-as-dublin-to-bray-bus-corridor-gets-green-light/a172656828.html

Tarabuses

I see that Wicklow Co. Co. has refused Dublin Bus permission to provide toilet facilities for drivers at Ballywaltrim.

https://www.independent.ie/regionals/dublin/dublin-bus-refused-plans-to-provide-toilet-facility-for-drivers-at-last-stop-in-co-wicklow/a1142944952.html

hfjm20

Does anyone know why I’ve just seen the 140 and 83 going up Nassau Street?

Tickityboo

Breakdown on Charlotte Way

BusGuy

2 questions.

First of all, I've been doing a bit of digging, and, surprisingly, you might be able to track Luas's on BusTimes, according to this screenshot:

If you look at the very bottom of a random route, BusTimes dosent use the timetable data from TFI anymore, instead from the NTA. This could lead some signs that again, you can track the Luas.

Secondly, does anyone have a list of what route (from DB) operates out of which garage? I'm curious.

BusGuy

And, this website provides the full fleet list of each Luas tram:

http://www.britishtramsonline.co.uk/fleets/luas.html

So, if you merge each thing together, there you have a tracking system. The devs are too lazy, I guess.

BusGuy

I also found the list of shelter bus stops across Dublin:

BusGuy

As you can see, it says "Timetable data from National Transport Authority"

KD345

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123163663#Comment_123163663

If ever we needed an example of how difficult it is to progress public transport this is it.

Somebody needs to knock heads to sort this. There is ample space here for a toilet, the terminus is effectively a big slip road with large footpath, cycle lane, bus shelter and green area.

I’m curious why’s it’s Dublin Bus applying for planning permission and not the NTA? Dublin Bus are operating these services on behalf of the NTA. Wicklow County Council believe this toilet would interfere with a bus priority corridor and could impact the Active Travel cycle scheme - but misses the fact that both of these projects are run and funded by the NTA! 

Surely one phone call from the NTA to explain how taking care of a bus driver’s welfare will not impact a future bus corridor/active travel project should sort this?

If we want to roll out 24 hour high frequency buses then councils need to step up to support such services.

And we wonder why we’re struggling to recruit bus drivers.