Dublin - BusConnects

p_haugh · 12-10-2022 12:14pm

I get the 18 to work (when it decides to operate that is 😂) and have noticed they've been doing some bus stop work along the route over the past few weeks, in anticipation of the Southern Orbitals phase. All of the existing "pole" stops have had the newer pole socket installed, with the existing pole slotted back in (for now). Also spotted buildouts being constructed for new stops just off of Harold's Cross (Kenilworth Park) and along Drimnagh Road (outside the Centra & Pizza Hut). I assume similar works are taking place across South dublin, at varying stages.

cgcsb · 12-10-2022 1:52pm

I think the network should be rolled out as is for expediency. And it was made without really challenging car supremacy in the city centre. A battle for another day perhaps.

But in the future there has to be some improvement. Definitely the A or F spine should be using Church St/Bridge St or Bolton St/Chancery Place/Winetavern St. Too much reliance on O'Connel Bridge to make a reliable bus service. Also the markets area of the city has no bus service at the moment which needs to change if the area is to be regenerated.

My other complaint is that the H spine terminates way too short, it should continue to Heuston at a minimum or merge with G spine. Very frustrating to get the bus to town from howth Road and be left a long way from other connections and the south core city area.

George's Street(from the exchequer St junction to Dame St) and Dame Street to Parliament Street should be bus and bike only with a huge increase in the footpaths.

Bachelors walk between Jervis St and O'Connell Br and City Quay from Tara St to O'Connell Br should also be bus and bike only, again with massive increase in pedestrian space.

Needless to say massive footpath widening needed on Tara St, Pearse St, Westmoreland St, D'Olier St, Parnell St, Bolton St and O'Connell Br. Pedestrianised Liffey St, Mary St, Parliament St, Stephens Green North and Temple Bar.

Then we might have a city centre Street network that actually works, is safe and fit for purpose

LXFlyer · 12-10-2022 2:37pm

Remember too though that there will be no buses making turns at O’Connell Bridge - that in itself should improve the flow of buses through the city centre, aside from the reduction in buses through College Green.

brianc89 · 12-10-2022 3:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119734452#Comment_119734452

Definitely agree, the current Bus Connects plan needs to be rolled out posthaste. On the whole it's miles better than current network.

At the same time though, the plan has shortcomings which I think merit discussion. I also think that discussion sits best in this forum @LXFlyer despite your objections 🙄😂

dublinman1990 · 13-10-2022 10:06am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119733983#Comment_119733983

That's good news to hear that new poles are being attempted to be installed at some along the 18 route.

There is one part of Newtownpark Avenue which could be a little bit awkward to have installed when the S8 is meant to be using them alongside the 46E from February.

The bus stop that I'm talking about is numbered 4353 which is near the Guardian Angels Church/NS and Cluain Mhuire Mental Health Facility.

That section of road had a cycle lane installed on both sides of the road which was brought in allow kids cycle to school during the pandemic. This was brought in as part of the Active Travel scheme that was brought in over 2 years ago.

The bus stop pole that is on the opposite side of that road near the school and Cluain Mhuire is in a very tricky spot.

The pole is located opposite a temporary entrance in-between those 2 sites to a section of land that will be used for a temporary building site.

Half of Guardian Angels NS has begun work to undergo a redevelopment project which has been underway since the summer.

There also have been plans to demolish the entire building of Cluain Mhuire and replace it with new housing which consist of new townhouses and apartment blocks.

I do know what is the current status of the proposed new building work for Cluain Mhuire at the moment.

However the school has been undergoing work to rebuild the principals office and the school assembly hall next door since the summer. Those areas of the school are at the front of the building in which is located within the church car park and away from the main road itself.

The school also has plans to rebuild the junior and senior infants classrooms while this redevelopment work is currently ongoing at the present time.

I am not really too concerned with the school itself as most of that work is largely going built away from the main road of Newtownpark Avenue.

The bit that concerns me is both the location and height of Cluain Mhuire itself as the main entrance/gate including the main gate to the staff car park is right on the edge of that main road. There are also a number of houses that are located right across the road from that site as well.

I wonder would it be a good idea for the NTA to reroute both the 46E and S8 away from that road for a little while if the proposed demolition work at Cluain Mhuire is approved by ABP.

Any thoughts on this idea would be a good starting point?

p_haugh · 13-10-2022 2:29pm

Had posted this in the Commuting & Transport, but will corsspost here since it's infrastructure related:

Google Maps Street view now shows the completed Red Cow interchange upgrade. Seems to have 9 lay-bys set up, with the routes distributed across most of the stops. Not sure if there's any 'lay over' stops however. A somewhat basic interchange as of now, hopefully shelters (presumably where the concrete spots are) and RTPI screens will be added in in due course.

(cropped image showing a stop pole set up with timetables already put in)

dublinman1990 · 13-10-2022 5:17pm

There are also black and white poles with the green NTA flags on top of them. What are those poles used for at the interchange?

Are they used as bus stop poles?

EDIT: Oh wait a minute. They are bus stop poles with timetable carousels on them. There are 4 of them in the photo. But they are also separate black and white poles in there as well. Are those poles used for other specific traffic signage or something?

davetherave · 13-10-2022 5:31pm

The black and white are at the zebra crossings. I think they just happen to line up in the photos with the NTA timetable poles that are behind/beside them.

Hotblack Desiato · 13-10-2022 5:32pm

Zebra crossing.

brianc89 · 14-10-2022 4:16am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119740252#Comment_119740252

I hope they will make these light controlled.

An extra 16 poles per crossing. God I love poles.

Hotblack Desiato · 14-10-2022 8:37am

Is this you

😁😁😁

p_haugh · 14-10-2022 10:14am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119742103#Comment_119742103

Going by street view, there's only 6 poles (2 for each zebra crossing)

p_haugh · 16-10-2022 3:05pm

Checked out the G1 today and the Red Cow interchange is in full use now. There is also shelters and benches added, still no RTPI screens as of yet (not even slots in the ground for easy installation?).

Interestingly, the old interchange is now closed off, with all services using the new one. Wonder what will happen with that space now.

dublinman1990 · 31-10-2022 6:20pm

Do the NTA have a timeline as to when they can install the RTPI screens at Red Cow interchange?

These things should be installed as standard at every interchange to give out updated information while waiting for your bus. I know that you can use the TFI RT apps on your phone of course. But having the RTPI screens will be a bit handy for those who want updated info rather than relying on paper timetables that could become obsolete and also as a means to get away from the phones while at a bus stop.

Qrt · 31-10-2022 7:56pm

i was under the impression that this was a temporary interchange until something more permanent was done, but maybe I missed the temporary one

ive used the interchange a few times, needs a major seating addition too. there was about thirty of us just standing around last week

LXFlyer · 31-10-2022 8:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119816600#Comment_119816600

It is temporary per the NTA.

spacetweek · 31-10-2022 11:34pm

Why is it temporary? Why not build the final config now?

LXFlyer · 01-11-2022 5:18am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119817388#Comment_119817388

Time pressures at a guess - they needed a terminus of sorts in place for the G Spine launch.

murphaph · 04-11-2022 8:52pm

What are the planned locations of all the known bus stations under the plan?

p_haugh · 04-11-2022 11:03pm

Blanchardstown, Liffey valley and the square tallaght are the only dedicated Bus Interchanges mentioned in the bus connects plans afaik. Some reworks for the Dundrum terminus too but that's technically seperate to the overall Bus Connects plans.

LXFlyer · 05-11-2022 1:44am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119835047#Comment_119835047

UCD as well

p_haugh · 05-11-2022 1:54am

Ah yes, forgot about that. Any word on when that's being implemented? The main entrance was only redone recently, so there'll be a bunch of work on it yet again within a couple of years to get the interchange set up

p_haugh · 07-11-2022 11:06pm

On the topic of interchanges, it got me thinking of existing ones.

I wonder is there any plans in the pipeline for Dun Laoghaire? Either as part of DART+ South (if theres station expansion involved) or other changes for when Bus Connects reaches that neck of the woods.

tom1ie · 11-11-2022 11:00am

Anymore news on or has a decision been made on if ANPR cameras are being rolled out in conjunction with bus connects?

I would have thought this would be a pretty big part of the jigsaw.

cgcsb · 11-11-2022 5:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119860696#Comment_119860696

Camera enforcement plus the parts of bus connects that don't need planning could bring us about 80% of the benefits of bus connects and they could start now. There is no urgency amongst decision makers.

tom1ie · 12-11-2022 9:33am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119862357#Comment_119862357

Is it even on the agenda? Has ER or the NTA even mentioned it recently?

cgcsb · 12-11-2022 10:37am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119864395#Comment_119864395

There was some commitment to have it by the end of 2022 at least in some locations, I think I read it in the quarterly update on transport projects that the department of transport/ NTA publish. But I wouldn't take that seriously tbh. Just look at the GDA transport strategy, a new version every few years, containing the same things, but worded slightly differently because none of it ever gets built.