Dublin Bus Changes to Improve City Center Journeys

hmmm

fritzelly wrote: »

How is CG now that taxis are banned
Passing by the other way this morning and saw a Garda there with flashing bike and didn't seem to notice any taxis

Buses this week have been taking 30-45 minutes to get from Heuston to Batchelor's Walk. Most people now get off the bus there, I think a lot of commuters have given up on being able to get across the city by bus now.

Apparently the LUAS green line has been in trouble this week also.

This all started the day Luas Cross City was put live, I do not believe for a minute that the cause of this chaos (and it is chaos) was a general increase in passenger numbers. The Cross City LUAS are half empty every time I see them.

The only change on the horizon is the increased frequency of bigger trams, which will make things even worse.

Ben D Bus

I've taken the 40 in from the Inchicore side the last 2 days. I've sailed through College green both times at just after 8am. Even with this morning's weather. I did see a Garda Bike at College St this morning alright.

fritzelly

Taxis going thru CG just now, no garda...

Sierra Oscar

The traffic on the North Quays is shockingly bad at the moment. The 38 / 39 / 70 routes are all backed up as far back as the Navan Road.

Hurrache

And the Luas is a **** storm this morning (again) too. Pretty bad for the buses to be backed up to the Navan Road, can they make up time in the bus lane when they get to Stoneybatter?

Sierra Oscar

Hurrache wrote: »

And the Luas is a **** storm this morning (again) too. Pretty bad for the buses to be backed up to the Navan Road, can they make up time in the bus lane when they get to Stoneybatter?

They’re crawling along trying to reach the bus lane, but it’s not much better once they do make it. Crawling up the quays. I’m guessing it’s the Luas crossings on O’Connell Bridge. Has the frequency increased?

There’s a convoy of 39’s heading along the quays now as they all backed up together on the Navan Road. It’s atrocious, one of the worst mornings for reliability that I’ve ever experienced.

hmmm

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

They’re crawling along trying to reach the bus lane, but it’s not much better once they do make it. Crawling up the quays. I’m guessing it’s the Luas crossings on O’Connell Bridge. Has the frequency increased?

There was a LUAS blocked or broken down on Westmoreland earlier blocking all Southbound traffic around College Green.

A queuing Southbound LUAS then moved into the junction opposite Trinity, even though it clearly wasn't going to be able to clear it, and that's blocked Northbound traffic as well.

It's nuts.

Lord Glentoran

psinno wrote: »

Wouldn't really surprise me. I live and work beside luas stops but the 7 stop trip isn't even close to competitive with walking, even before factoring in that you can be waiting 15 to 20 minutes for a luas even at peak times.

Schrodinger’s Luas - simultaneously empty and too full for passengers to get on :pac:

thomasj

I've never seen it as bad down the old cabra road/Prussia street/manor street area as I did this morning , even during the Celtic tiger.

Nearly 10 minutes approaching Hanlon's corner , we sat through 3 light changes (nowhere to move ahead), another few minutes between Prussia street and manor street .

We got stuck again at the four courts , I gave up and got off and walked fast/ran to get into work on time

thomasj

I tweeted aa roadwatch earlier to see did they get any reports , they said they heard nothing

cgcsb

Bus gate on Bachelor's walk is just being flat out ignored by motorists, it's full of cars. Taxis are al over college green, no enforcement. Cameras and massive fines and penalty points please. If a private company was allowed do it and collect the fine revenue, I'd invest in the morning, you'd make a mint.

cherryghost

My regular morning bus has become dangerously crammed in recent months too. Bus jam packed most days during the week, and one of the days an inspector was on board. Bus wasn't crammed so much, and the driver drove past some stops ignoring passengers.

Anyway, I just want to vent how bad service has gotten, especially in the last 6 months. I've had to switch to an earlier bus this week as I was consistently late for work by 15-20 minutes in the mornings and my patience was waning.

punisher5112

cherryghost wrote: »

My regular morning bus has become dangerously crammed in recent months too. Bus jam packed most days during the week, and one of the days an inspector was on board. Bus wasn't crammed so much, and the driver drove past some stops ignoring passengers.

Anyway, I just want to vent how bad service has gotten, especially in the last 6 months. I've had to switch to an earlier bus this week as I was consistently late for work by 15-20 minutes in the mornings and my patience was waning.

Contact db and the nta.

cherryghost

punisher5112 wrote: »

Contact db and the nta.

Have done on Monday evening, DB just acknowledge it's got increased demand. NTA no reply (yet).

AlekSmart

cherryghost wrote: »

My regular morning bus has become dangerously crammed in recent months too. Bus jam packed most days during the week, and one of the days an inspector was on board. Bus wasn't crammed so much, and the driver drove past some stops ignoring passengers.

Anyway, I just want to vent how bad service has gotten, especially in the last 6 months. I've had to switch to an earlier bus this week as I was consistently late for work by 15-20 minutes in the mornings and my patience was waning.

What would the appropriate reaction be for the Driver ?

Would you appreciate,as a passenger ON the Bus,if the driver stopped at each stop to inform intending passengers,that the bus was full,and they could not board ?

The Bus Atha Cliath Fleet is a full peak capacity,and then some,with one contribtory factor being the decision to specify lower capacity vehicles as replacements for the old single-door vehicles.

Far more thought is required as to Bus specfification in Dublin,as 64 seater vehicles are currently,not fit-for-purpose,one possible inprovement would be the immediate removal of the flip-down seating,which tends to limit buggy & wheelchair access as well as reducing standing space at peak times.

Sierra Oscar

thomasj wrote: »

I tweeted aa roadwatch earlier to see did they get any reports , they said they heard nothing

What's worrying is the fact that we aren't really hearing all that much about the horrific experience people are having on Dublin Bus routes. It's all about the Luas, but Dublin Bus passengers have been putting up with a deteriorating service for many months now.

cgcsb wrote: »

Bus gate on Bachelor's walk is just being flat out ignored by motorists, it's full of cars. Taxis are al over college green, no enforcement. Cameras and massive fines and penalty points please. If a private company was allowed do it and collect the fine revenue, I'd invest in the morning, you'd make a mint.

I just cannot understand why the Traffic Corps are not out contentiously on the quays, O'Connell Bridge and at College Green to enforce the bus lanes and restrictions on taxis / motorists. The enforcement is patchy.

I actually saw a Garda let off a driver who was turning right from O'Connell Bridge onto the north quays just last week. He had a word with her, she must have had a sob story and had a big smiley head on her as soon as the Garda turned his back. It's a joke. The same is happening on College Green.

cherryghost wrote: »

My regular morning bus has become dangerously crammed in recent months too. Bus jam packed most days during the week, and one of the days an inspector was on board. Bus wasn't crammed so much, and the driver drove past some stops ignoring passengers.

Anyway, I just want to vent how bad service has gotten, especially in the last 6 months. I've had to switch to an earlier bus this week as I was consistently late for work by 15-20 minutes in the mornings and my patience was waning.

I'm regularly left waiting at the bus stop as full buses pass me by these days. I'm seriously concerned that the over-crowding will become significantly worse if the chaos on College Green isn't dealt with appropriately. I have no faith in Dublin Bus being able to re-route buses successfully, I foresee a drop in frequency which will have a significant impact on capacity.

cherryghost

AlekSmart wrote: »

What would the appropriate reaction be for the Driver ?

Would you appreciate,as a passenger ON the Bus,if the driver stopped at each stop to inform intending passengers,that the bus was full,and they could not board ?

Sorry, should have been clear. My real point was 99% of the time drivers turn a blind eye to health and safety on buses. I was injured late last year because I fell with nothing to hold onto due to the crowded situation. Of course Dublin bus 'investigated' that and nothing was heard of since.

AlekSmart

I would disagree with the "99% of Drivers" statement,but in terms of the Additional Passenger limit,it is suitably vague when one takes item (3) into consideration....

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1963/si/190/made/en/print

80. (1) A person shall not, subject to the provisions of sub-articles (2) and (3) of this article, cause or permit the number of passengers carried on a vehicle to exceed the number of persons for which passenger accommodation is provided.


(2) If and so long as three or more children under the age of 15 years are being carried on the vehicle, the number of such children shall be deemed to be reduced by one-third for the purposes of calculating the number of passengers carried.


(3) During hours of peak traffic, or in circumstances in which undue hardship would be caused to intending passengers if they were not carried, a greater number of passengers than that permissible under sub-article (1) of this article may be carried on an omnibus, subject to the following limitations:


(a) no additional passengers may be carried by virtue of this sub-article in the upper deck of a double deck omnibus, or in an omnibus having passenger accommodation for less than 15 persons;


(b) no additional passengers may be carried by virtue of this sub-article at any time while the omnibus is exceeding a speed of 40 miles per hour;


(c) the additional number of passengers carried in a single deck omnibus by virtue of this sub-article shall not exceed in number 8, or one-quarter of the passenger accommodation of such omnibus, whichever is the less;


(d) the additional number of passengers carried in the lower deck of a double deck omnibus by virtue of this sub-article shall not exceed in number 8, or one-quarter of the passenger accommodation of such lower deck, whichever is the less.

fritzelly

AlekSmart wrote: »

I would disagree with the "99% of Drivers" statement,but in terms of the Additional Passenger limit,it is suitably vague when one takes item (3) into consideration....

Thanks for clearing that up!

DanDublin1982

I don't have to use the bus often but I did today. And the journey from Eden quay to college green took almost as long as the rest of the journey to Clondalkin.

I think it requires something radical such as banning cars from the Quays 7-9am and 4-7pm to get the city moving again. But I know its only in a fantasy world that something like this could happen..

Shedite27

DanDublin1982 wrote: »

I don't have to use the bus often but I did today. And the journey from Eden quay to college green took almost as long as the rest of the journey to Clondalkin.

I think it requires something radical such as banning cars from the Quays 7-9am and 4-7pm to get the city moving again. But I know its only in a fantasy world that something like this could happen..

Yeah coming in the quays from the West, there has to be more traffic diverted north and south at the Four Courts.

There needs to be a North/South "thoroughfare" where busses have priority. Westland Row and Merrion Square West seems the obvious answer and has a perfect connection with Dart.

thomasj

The 55m luas trams have been removed from service following repeated breakdowns.

Stephen15

Hopefully Alstom will take these trams back and introduce some regular length Luas trams.

thomasj

AlekSmart wrote:

I would disagree with the "99% of Drivers" statement,but in terms of the Additional Passenger limit,it is suitably vague when one takes item (3) into consideration....

Just to point out I'm on a 39 on a VT just now at 9pm where there's over 20 people standing downstairs. The 39a that didn't stop for us 5 minutes earlier was the same

fritzelly

thomasj wrote: »

Just to point out I'm on a 39 on a VT just now at 9pm where there's over 20 people standing downstairs. The 39a that didn't stop for us 5 minutes earlier was the same

How many of those people were getting off after a few stops or so?

Buses need to stop being a bus to jaunt from one place and just down the road to somewhere else and let people who are actually going far out to get a bus
I catch a variety of buses each week and I'm surprised by the amount of a certain class who will just get a bus from say O'Connell St to Dame St (and they are well able to walk)
Should be one central stop in the city (maybe 2) then the bus is outta there and on it's way
Buses like the number 15 and 16 (and there are a lot of them), why do they all need to stop at every stop in the city. Worst culprits are the ones stopping by the Central Bank and then again on Westmoreland St (geez walk people)

strandroad

fritzelly wrote: »

How many of those people were getting off after a few stops or so?

Buses need to stop being a bus to jaunt from one place and just down the road to somewhere else and let people who are actually going far out to get a bus

That's defeatist... Buses are for short hops too, it's just that in a proper system there are no driver interactions so the bus can move off fast, and multi door system prevents such crowding. Short hop trip does not need to generate delays or block doors, we just make it do so by sticking to an antiquated boarding system.

fritzelly

strandroad wrote: »

That's defeatist... Buses are for short hops too, it's just that in a proper system there are no driver interactions so the bus can move off fast, and multi door system prevents such crowding. Short hop trip does not need to generate delays or block doors, we just make it do so by sticking to an antiquated boarding system.

Tell that to people who cannot get on a bus to get to a home that is 5 miles down the road and have to wait ages for another because there are 30 people getting off a few stops down the road because it was the first bus passing by that went that way
Smaller buses should be doing the shipping around the city - doesn't need double deckers
Several routes I've been on where once you are outside the central city limits the bus has been emptied out - that is just not efficient at all, not only for transporting the maximum number of people in the most efficient way but also the cost of moving people from one side of the city to the other

bebeman

AlekSmart wrote: »

Would you appreciate,as a passenger ON the Bus,if the driver stopped at each stop to inform intending passengers,that the bus was full,and they could not board ?

.

Isn't this what the NTA want to bring in, part of a improved customer service?

AlekSmart

fritzelly wrote: »

How many of those people were getting off after a few stops or so?

Buses need to stop being a bus to jaunt from one place and just down the road to somewhere else and let people who are actually going far out to get a bus
I catch a variety of buses each week and I'm surprised by the amount of a certain class who will just get a bus from say O'Connell St to Dame St (and they are well able to walk)
Should be one central stop in the city (maybe 2) then the bus is outta there and on it's way
Buses like the number 15 and 16 (and there are a lot of them), why do they all need to stop at every stop in the city. Worst culprits are the ones stopping by the Central Bank and then again on Westmoreland St (geez walk people)

A valid point,and one which has been largely ignored over the years as the Commuting Public's needs developed and became more demanding.

There is a recognition that Dublin Bus has far too many Bustops,with very little actual pre-planning ever given towards their location and operation.

One of the first observations made by Jarrett Walker on his visits to Dublin,focused on the amount of Buses obstructing each other,as they attempted to access Bustops,often for a single passenger to utilise it.

It also has to be pointed out that the NTA's overview of it's Public Transport remit,involve the promotion and planning of Walking & Cycling as INTEGRAL elements of the PT experience.

Fewer Bustops,but better designed and constructed,with improved access and egress to and from these Stops is the way forward.

However,it has been shown previously,that what should be the simplest element in the entire area,a steel pole with a sign on top,is often THE most complex and difficult element to actually provide and utilize.

AlekSmart

thomasj wrote: »

Just to point out I'm on a 39 on a VT just now at 9pm where there's over 20 people standing downstairs. The 39a that didn't stop for us 5 minutes earlier was the same

These "Despatches from the Front-Line" should be serving as a warning to the NTA,that the entire schedule and service on that Corridor has failed...not is failing,or going to fail...it has failed and requires urgent attention NOW.

The Corridor requires additional capacity,in vehicular and staff terms,with an immediate requirement to resource a minimum of 25% extra departures after the traditional Peak Hours (A concept which continues to bedevil the provision of Bus Service frequency)

One MAJOR issue is that the agreement for Business Expansion,which allowed for the BMO tendering process to begin,was predicated upon usership statistics collated in :eek:2012:eek:....I would sincerly hope that these have been updated,but as of now,I cannot state this to be the case....If they haven't,then somebody needs to get working on it :eek:NOW !!:eek: