Dublin - BusConnects

specialbyte

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121972131#Comment_121972131

There is still judicial review (JR) to pass for 3/4 approved projects.

CBC7 Liffey Valley to City was approved and the timeframe for submitting a JR (8 weeks) has passed without any applications to the high court.

CBC1 Clongriffin is the subject of a potential judicial review. We'll see if the High Court thinks the Artane Cottages crowd have an argument worth going to a full trial.

CBC3/4 Ballymun/Finglas to city was only approved on 28th February 2024. So it will be end of April or there abouts when the JR timeframe ends. CBC14/15 Blackrock/UCD to City was only approved 27th March 2024, so we're looking at the end of May for that one

Good news is that surveying crews for the detailed design have been out all along the CBC7 route. The detailed design is definitely progressing along that corridor so hopefully we'll see a construction tender ASAP.

cgcsb

I seen surveyors out on the junction of emmet and tyrconnel road yesterday. The whole JR thing is a complete joke ontop of an already tedius planning 'system'.

I see IE applied for RO to get some level crossings closed on the Cork line to up the line speed, three whole years ago, they got an oral hearing in September 2023 and still have no decision. Three whole years to just get planning to close 4 rural level crossings is nothing short of a shambles. We cannot continue to run a state this way, it will collapse. We have an historic infrastructure deficit and moving at this pace will only see us deteriorate in comparison to the developed world.

Pete_Cavan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121972131#Comment_121972131

The process has already started to establish a framework of contractors to who will tender for the corridors.

spacetweek

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121973122#Comment_121973122

That particular case has been mentioned here many times. I don't know what the big barrier is but there must be some complex land dispute because the small size of the project versus the time taken is an outlier even for the Bord's usual standards.

Ronald Binge Redux

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121973421#Comment_121973421

Irish public administration moving at top speed!

Hotblack Desiato

The framework approach makes sense here.

Public procurement rules are EU wide (thanks to those naughty Italians)

Nothing holds up a process more than a judicial review by some aggreived party claiming that the procedures were not followed, so i's have to be dotted and t's crossed.

Pete_Cavan

It's also worth noting that the framework will be established on the basis of tendering for the first corridor so it doesn't delay that but speeds up the tender process for all subsequent corridors.

Hotblack Desiato

Exactly, that is why the framework approach makes the best sense.

CatInABox

News on the JR, in which it seems that the judge and the NTA are aware of the importance of the case.

https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/courts/2024/04/08/nta-asks-high-court-to-reject-womans-bid-to-challenge-part-of-busconnects/

Normally an application for a JR is done solely with the applicant, in this case Anne Kelly (who is representing herself so far), but the judge directed her to inform the NTA before applying. This has allowed the NTA to ask the judge to refuse permission for the JR.

Here's the guts of the case that she is putting forward:

Among Ms Kelly’s allegations is that the NTA did not follow proper procedures and failed to notify her and other affected residents of the proposed new bus stop arrangement.

She claims detailed observations from residents were not properly considered by the NTA or An Bord Pleanála.

She alleges the proposed bus stop was a late-stage design change and is the only stop in the BusConnects scheme that would be in front of houses without front gardens. There is insufficient footway to accommodate the stop and residents would experience reduced enjoyment of their properties, she claims.

I am relieved that it is so bad, worse than I had suspected.

The fact is that there has been several lengthy consultations on this route, including leaflet drops and adverts all over the place. No judge could seriously consider "they didn't tell me about it" as a legitimate excuse on this, it would make a mockery of the extensive consultation that's been done, and would set a terrible precedent going forward.

Her second point is basically "I don't like that they didn't do exactly what I wanted", which is again, not what consultations or the planning process are about.

Her final point makes zero sense, the bus stop is clearly in the same location as it was in the draft plan, back in 2020, so it's not a late change. Privacy and rights are always a bit more difficult, but the fact of the matter is that it is public property outside her house, and this bus stop really needs to be here.

The fact that the judge told her to inform the NTA may mean nothing, but it may also be significant. It's very rare at this point in a JR application. Perhaps he suspects that her application is so weak as to be pointless. It'd be great to get this knocked on the head at such an early stage, it'd set the tone for all future attempts at a JR on these plans.

Hearing scheduled for the 4th of June.

Pete_Cavan

Representing herself would suggest that she might not have the money to fight it all the way (few individuals would have that kind of money available and few of those that do would be willing to blow it like this). Seems pointless tbh, I doubt any real concessions can be made at this stage with planning approved.

alentejo

Dublin City Centre is in chaos this morning with road closures in and around Kildare Street and Merrion Sq. I suspect the whole bus schedule for the morning is knocked out of kilter.

I do think traffic planners need to make the city more resilient and if one or two streets are closed, the public transport network does not shudder to a halt. For example, I have seen a bus breakdown right outside Trinity College on College Green and 40 plus buses were stranded on College Street, D'Olier street etc.

loyatemu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121995847#Comment_121995847

I was wondering why the traffic was so bad (as I cycled past it). Blame Simon Harris!

Hotblack Desiato

Blame the nutjob 'protesters' from last year.

CatInABox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122001140#Comment_122001140

Yes, guards were in a tough spot, close the street and look heavy handed, or allow a protest to go ahead and look like complete idiots if it TDs get assaulted again like last year.

corm500

I know I'm late to the party here, but can someone explain BusConnects to me in simple terms? Is it not just a bus lane?

riddlinrussell

The infrastructure improvements are considerably more significant that just a bus lane (in the sense of paint on a road) with bus priority traffic lights, major reconfiguring of various roads (including dedicated cycle lanes, narrowing/widening in places, kerbing changes) but the infrastructure changes are almost secondary to the rejigging of the route network, much of which has already happened. Its all under the one plan.

loco_scolo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122037406#Comment_122037406

Don't forget utilities upgrades. The C2CC is taking so long because they're upgrading water mains and other utilities. The same will likely apply to all other routes, especially the sections closest to the city.

bk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122037343#Comment_122037343

No, much more then just that. it is an umbrella for a whole range of bus improvement projects. It includes:

• Network changes, the launch of brand new routes like the N4, N2, O route, 24/7 routes, but also the reorganisation and renaming of existing routes to make them easier to use and reduce bunching between routes.
• New ticket fare structure like the 90 minute ticket
• Next gen ticketing, new ticket machines that will allow you to pay by phone or contactless debit/credit card
• new bus stops and livery
• New zero emission (battery) buses

Then it also includes the Infrastructure side, which involves improving bus lanes and other bus infrastructure. This can also include major new bus hubs, with bus bays and large shelters, coffee shops etc.

Some of this is also pretty major work, including widening bridges, buying gardens and houses to make more space for bus lanes etc.

Some places will get bus gates, which basically means only buses can pass through that road, no cars.

Many of the routes will get much nicer big bus stops and shelters.

Also all the bus corridors will be getting high quality segregated cycle lanes. It is as much about bike lanes as bus lanes.

spacetweek

Will bus lanes have utilities diverted from under them as part of BusConnects? This would make it much easier and cheaper to convert them to Luas lines in future.

tom1ie

Surely the most important part of bus connects is the infrastructure though.
The networks redesign will only come Into its own because of the infrastructure upgrades imo.

bk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122039971#Comment_122039971

I wouldn't necessarily agree. The infrastructure doesn't give you 24/7 routes or orbitals routes. Like you could have the best bus lanes in the world, but that isn't much use to you if you'd like to get a bus at 2am, but there are no 24/7 routes.

Also the €2 90 minute ticket or 50% off for young people are game changers in affordability, ease of use/understanding and importantly ease of transfer between routes and services.

Where the infrastructure side comes in really is the more traditional core radial routes into town. It is needed to enhance those and make the most of those routes.

To be honest I'm somewhat wary of how much difference the infrastructure side will actually make. It will definitely be a big deal for bikes and I'm certain it will make some buses faster, but I feel that extra capacity will almost immediately be used up as we are already not too far off the maximum you can get out of buses and I suspect almost the minute the project finishes, we will start planning to convert many of these routes to Luas lines!

tom1ie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122040392#Comment_122040392

I disagree.
The bus service is there to get you to your destination reliably and efficiently when you need it.
This generally coincides with, when lots of people are using the road which means the bus ends up stuck in traffic.
The QBCs are absolutely fundamental to guaranteeing journey times and frequencies which are the cornerstones of a top class or at least a working bus service.
By the way there’s no point building all these QBCs without ANPR enforcement either.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122039907#Comment_122039907

That is an interesting question to which I don't know the answer.

bk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122040694#Comment_122040694

The bus service is there to get you to your destination reliably and efficiently 

Well in the first place, the bus needs to actually take you to your destination!

Previously to go to my office, I’d have to get a bus into town and then back out, it would take well over an hour for what is a 30 minute walk! Complete rubbish. Now the N4 can take me almost directly from my home to my office, game changer.

The Swords Road is already a pretty excellent QBC, the bike lanes are welcome, but I see BusConnects making very little difference on the Swords Road corridor, the previous work at the Cat & Cage fixed the only major bottleneck.

Of course it will be more beneficial on other corridors, in particular the bus gates. But I do think people need to be realistic as to how much difference it will make. Yes it will likely improve journey times and maybe add some capacity, like 20% faster and more capacity, sure, but don’t be expecting it to double capacity or anything like that. It will be evolutionary rather than revolutionary.

It is clear now that it was a big mistake that they dropped BRT/Swiftway plan, rather then integrating it into BusConnects and I think there is now a recognition amongst planners about the limitations of how much you can do with buses and that they are already considering converting some of the core bus lanes to Luas lines before the BusConnects infrastructure even starts!

For me the main benefit was turning the bus service from something you’d expect in the 1950’s into a proper system you’d expect a modern European capital city to have.

DB was somewhat okay getting you into and out of town at peak hours for work, but useless at anything else, want to go somewhere other then the city center, travel at night, weekends etc. it sucked. BusConnects is fixing all that and giving us a service where you really don’t need a car and can get around the city at any time.