'Ghost' bus stops

Victor

Going through a list of Dublin Bus stops, I've noticed:

* Stops on the street, with a number, but no routes, e.g. stops 5, 4718, 5968 - pole and sign present on site at Parnell Square West, but no apparent routes and stop not listed on http://www.dublinbus.ie/ https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.3520961,-6.2633475,3a,75y,224.42h,87.28t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s77Xjxq5qdkcJqy6R9_6G8g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
* Stops on the street, with no number and no routes, e.g 2 stops on Cathal Brugha Street at the school. Not listed on http://www.dublinbus.ie/ https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.3526458,-6.2578242,3a,75y,149.51h,81.3t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sMdlnj0nGskHXGpljiHJAbw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DMdlnj0nGskHXGpljiHJAbw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D224.60913%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
* Pole, but no sign. Not listed on http://www.dublinbus.ie/ https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.3797675,-6.2896264,3a,30y,33.51h,86.7t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sXZ4SI84_sekv1EMM2je1Ww!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DXZ4SI84_sekv1EMM2je1Ww%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D28.37169%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
* No pole or sign on street, but still listed on http://www.dublinbus.ie/RTPI/Sources-of-Real-Time-Information/?searchtype=map&searchquery=(53.379457,-6.297159,1594) https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.3795131,-6.2971316,3a,75y,209.45h,73.27t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sxAuOvO7E_PjgyesNFzlwOg!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DxAuOvO7E_PjgyesNFzlwOg%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D113.753654%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
* Stops with road markings, but no pole, sign and not listed on http://www.dublinbus.ie/ https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.3827249,-6.2791897,3a,75y,285.29h,88.62t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sC6RpEyQGPHCCCdX22_J7yQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 - This stop was likely removed as it is right next to stop 1539 http://www.dublinbus.ie/RTPI/Sources-of-Real-Time-Information/?searchtype=map&searchquery=(53.383134,-6.279188,1539)
* Places where buses habitually stop, but no official status (more an issue for other operators)

Does any one have any others?

Stephen15

Torquay Road in Foxrock has a number of bus bays marked out but no pole and one pole on the road.

Dundrum Bypass has a pole on it not sure why don't think any bus has ever ran on it.

Mackintosh Park and Upper Johnstown Rd. has a number of bus stops left over from when the 59 used to go up there

Anglesea Rd. has a number of bus poles from when the 63 and 84 ran along it

Beaver Row has a pole across the road from Donnybrook Depot

L1011

There is a never served single sided pole with sign on the Meadowbrook spine road in Maynooth. Don't think it has a number. The one or two services a day that run nearby don't pass it

Stephen15

Another one I forgot was the bus shelter in Honeypark

LuckyLloyd

Stephen15 wrote: »

Brighton Road in Foxrock has a number of bus bays marked out but no pole and one pole on the road.

The 63 actively serves the stops there no?

Stephen15

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

The 63 actively serves the stops there no?

Apologies I meant to say Torquay Road not Brighton Road

DUBLINBUSGUY

There are bus stops on Albert Road and St. Catherines Road not in use after the 59 route was "straightened out" a bit.

There are bus stops left on Glenegeary Road from the old 8 route. The poles probably would have been taken down (I'm 70% sure the poles are still there) but the 7n drives up that road on the 00:00, 02:00 and 04:00 departures.

The 44B stops at the entrance to the car park at Lamb Doyle's pub. Google Maps recognises there to be a bus stop there but there is no visual evidence to suggest there being a bus stop there (e.g. a stop pole, a path and/or elevated path). The 44B a lot of the time though stops outside the pub just before the corner to let passengers off.

At the bottom of Mackintosh Park, there are bus stop markings but there was never an actual stop there. Back when the 59 terminated at "Mackintosh Park" (Pottery Road) drivers would sometimes drive down there and park their bus there. It was strange that the council put effort into painting this unnecessary bus parking/stop markings there. And there was no need to move the bus from the terminus because no buses would be passing/using that stop in the time that the bus would be there.

Down behind Dún Laoghaire DART Station where the 45a/59 park there is a bus stop pole even though no buses actually let on/off passengers there. Once when I was looking on the stops near me map on the DB app the stop popped up as a stop in the 7500's/7600's numbers region. Clicking onto it though gave the usual result you would be expecting, No Real Time Info Available For This Stop.

On the 65 when the bus approaches Ballymore Eustace the driver stops sometimes and lets people off. There are no stop poles or anything there but Google Maps has stops marked for the inbound 65 and the outbound one near there but it is unclear to me (I'm quite unfamiliar with the area) where exactly on the road Google are talking about because when you open up Streetview for the stop there, there is nothing there and the pictures are from 2009 so the area looks different to when I went on my bus trip to Ballymore earlier this year.

On the 111 there have been instances that the bus driver has let passengers off opposite Dún Laoghaire DART Station.

There's an old stop (shelter) outside Dún Laoghaire DART Station (stop 2038) that was used before Stop 2039 was used. There is currently a stop not in use sign in the shelter. Transport For Ireland (a-b.ie) says that when you're getting a 46a, 75 or a 63 to the last stop in Dún Laoghaire to get off at Stop 2038. Most buses (unless there is a bus loading/waiting to go) will drive up to Stop 2039 and let passengers off and then do a loop via Harbour Road to park the bus at the back of the queue.

On the last 44B of the day, the driver will usually drop you off shortly up the road before the terminus so he won't have to drive into the terminus before going back to the garage.

At Dundrum LUAS Station, Google Maps has one stop marked (on the side that all the 14's park) with all the DB routes and the Dublin Coach route that stop at the multiple stops there. There is a bus shelter at the LUAS bus terminus that says the 44b and 161 stop at it but the 44b actually stops (starts) at a stop there. I'm not too familiar with those routes and how things work there as I havent been on any of the routes that stop there apart from the 44B a few times.
So, maybe if someone could help clarify what I'm trying to say. Thanks.

The 45a goes through Shanganagh Cliffs Estate sometimes. The stops in the estate aren't marked on the map of the route because they are route variation stops and the route only uses them once or twice a day during the week only. If someone looked at that route map and then saw the stops (they are the bare type) they would think they are not in use.

Kh1993

Sillogue in Ballymun still has a few bus stops which aren’t used from the days of the 13 loop in there.

Victor

I think one of the issues with older poles is that they are concreted into the ground, meaning complete removal involves either digging out the concrete or cutting the pole at ground level. Recently installed stops use a lockable socket arrangement with removable poles.

Griffith Avenue https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.3739995,-6.2437556,3a,75y,254.34h,81.35t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1su5fFrgOKtq5VuE_Arl4lnw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Ballymun Road
https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.3761306,-6.2700522,3a,75y,0.86h,79.35t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sDzDNqou9L3FbszM2fFYHGA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.3777395,-6.2685477,3a,75y,82.06h,71.73t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sgfpAT9yNui3pjxJ_g7q8lQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

There is a new stop here at Broadstone:
https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.3536395,-6.2736946,3a,75y,98.29h,76.12t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s0PI0KcHODUVPzKty4cwgLg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Stephen15

Is this the remains of a bus stop here in Putland Road in Bray remember the 45 used to go down there pole with traffic cone on top

https://goo.gl/maps/zEvjmMSPcSF2

Also the old turning circle for the 45 in Oldcourt can still be seen complete with Kassel kerbing

https://goo.gl/maps/4qjDWD9Bix62

Old 11 terminus in Kilmacud now surrounded by bollards with Kassel kerning

https://goo.gl/maps/9XdabZKQ8mv

L1011

L1011 wrote: »

There is a never served single sided pole with sign on the Meadowbrook spine road in Maynooth. Don't think it has a number. The one or two services a day that run nearby don't pass it

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.372823,-6.5976596,3a,25.8y,151.89h,83.65t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1somW5GNDIY3IO59N1rUWKiQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

This imagery is uselessly ancient - I'm nearly certain the pole was painted yellow and the sign replaced!

The pair here are the ones that were actually served but it seems they are ghosts also now - the single 66x to/from Cluain Aoibhinn no longer exists. However the main 66 has been proposed to be extended via this road for some time now.

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3713539,-6.5955929,3a,75y,274.3h,98.64t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sHENlfWcDRYxXblscm-ZoQQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I don't know if any of the other stops for that 66x still exist.

Geog1234

There is a pole and sign numbered 2254 opposite Terminal 2, Stena Line at Dublin Port. This used to be the terminus of the 53 some years ago until the stretch of Alexandra Road between it and Breakwater Road South was sealed off and converted to port use (for containers). There is also a sign affixed to the pole advising drivers to turn their engines off.

Not sure if the stops on Pigeon House Road (old route 1 discontinued in 2012) are still in situ - been a few years since I was down that way.

Mrs OBumble

In Galway we even have one on the Monivea Rd complete with bus-shelter, which nature is slowly reclaiming:

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.2886231,-9.0081022,3a,37.5y,207.85h,83.2t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sOOxILluSJ___FNidrL67Lg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

(I don't know when it went out of use - over 10 years ago anyway.)


And a pole that I believe is even longer out of use on Dominic St:
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.2707792,-9.0571869,3a,15y,169.38h,86.58t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1saFkMxkgZhRxU42gCawow8g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656




There are also four new bus shelters behind the cathedral which are too new be on Google's streetview imagery: built on the recommendation of a 2007 report, before the the NTA (rightly) said "lads don't be daft, you've one small bridge, that's NOT the right place for a bus terminus yet". Apparently the tour bus companies use them now.

pm1977x

Stephen15 wrote: »

Another one I forgot was the bus shelter in Honeypark

This one at Tesco?


https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.2820988,-6.1432952,3a,75y,340.85h,90.18t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sTBYyRlBd7bxRH0BWkjWOZw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Stephen15

pm1977x wrote: »

This one at Tesco?


https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.2820988,-6.1432952,3a,75y,340.85h,90.18t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sTBYyRlBd7bxRH0BWkjWOZw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I didn't notice that one I was thinking of this one

https://goo.gl/maps/5pGQgmYTqXG2

Stephen15

There's a few aswell on Ballygoan Road formerly used by the 44

https://goo.gl/maps/6ZCt4FQ2QU22

https://goo.gl/maps/9FACfjn1rUA2

And there's a pole with kassel kerbing and marked out layby beside Leopardstown Valley Luas Stop

https://goo.gl/maps/KWFfLri5iAC2

There is also a bus shelter in the car park for Carrickmines Luas Stop not avaible on street view. Also stop 7360 in Carrickmines Retail Pk was originally a ghost stop now used by the 63 the shelter was not provided by DB or Adshel/JCDecaux but rather the centre itself it has a DB stop pole but no DB branding on the shelter.

pm1977x

Stephen15 wrote: »

I didn't notice that one I was thinking of this one

https://goo.gl/maps/5pGQgmYTqXG2

Ah yes, forgot that one.

DUBLINBUSGUY

Stephen15 wrote: »

Another one I forgot was the bus shelter in Honeypark

There's two in Cualanor too. They're hardly expecting buses to go through the estates? Especially Cualanor since the exit out to Tivoli Road is emergency vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians only.

Stephen15

DUBLINBUSGUY wrote: »

There's two in Cualanor too. They're hardly expecting buses to go through the estates? Especially Cualanor since the exit out to Tivoli Road is emergency vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians only.

I wonder was it planning condition for the developers to provide these pointless bus shelters. The QBC outside these estates is weird considering only the hourly Monday to Saturday 111 operates on it.

Lord Glentoran

Stephen15 wrote: »

I wonder was it planning condition for the developers to provide these pointless bus shelters. The QBC outside these estates is weird considering only the hourly Monday to Saturday 111 operates on it.

I wonder was there ever any real coordination between the NRA, Dublin Bus, the planning authorities, and the developers being obliged to provide infrastructure? Pointless crap being put up as planning conditions without services provided to them puts public transport into disrepute.

L1011

Checked and the three in Maynooth are still present, yellow and have numbers (6208/9/10 I think) but no braille pad

Victor

Speaking of braille pads, it's interesting how many of them and tactile kerbs are on stops on rural roads with no footpaths - places where one is unlikely to have blind people walking.

DUBLINBUSGUY

Not sure whether this fits the criteria. Stop 3107 (Route 59 towards Dún Laoghaire) on Avondale Road, Glenegeary has everything but the stop no. on the stop and braille pads.
A few stops have the old DB branding, Stop 4462 in Sallynoggin is an example.

Stephen15

Victor wrote: »

Speaking of braille pads, it's interesting how many of them and tactile kerbs are on stops on rural roads with no footpaths - places where one is unlikely to have blind people walking.

I suspect it's standard now for all stops where possible. In rural areas without a footpath it would be more important to have a safe place to stand that's not in a ditch or at the side of an open road road for passengers.

Stephen15

There's also a few disused stops on Taney Road in Dundrum only noticed them today when I drove past.

What Username Guidelines

One on firhouse road inbound, shelter but no number and doesn’t appear on RTPI map. Routes 49 and 75 use it, appears between 2542 and 2544, but no 2543 found anywhere.

Victor

What Username Guidelines wrote: »

One on firhouse road inbound, shelter but no number and doesn’t appear on RTPI map. Routes 49 and 75 use it, appears between 2542 and 2544, but no 2543 found anywhere.

Outside the Scientology place? It's on the list. Any road that was rebuilt / realigned inteh last 10-15 years seems to have the problem.

They even have stop 2544 recorded on a side street: http://www.dublinbus.ie/RTPI/Sources-of-Real-Time-Information/?searchtype=map&searchquery=(53.283963,-6.339804,2544)

Geog1234

Castleforbes Road has an unnumbered pole cemented into the footpath (just around the corner from North Wall Quay). The now demolished Maritime House erstwhile Isle of Man Steam Packet agent inter alia was located on the corner of Castleforbes Road and North Wall Quay.

What Username Guidelines

Victor wrote: »

Outside the Scientology place? It's on the list. Any road that was rebuilt / realigned inteh last 10-15 years seems to have the problem.

They even have stop 2544 recorded on a side street: http://www.dublinbus.ie/RTPI/Sources-of-Real-Time-Information/?searchtype=map&searchquery=(53.283963,-6.339804,2544)

Yep, thats the one

On the map you've linked, there are two stops shown (2544 and 6128) whereas in reality it's just one and is numbered 6128 on the sign

Qrt

There's one on the Kiltipper Road, pretty sure it was one of the two local buses that existed once upon a time.

Dropped pin
near Kiltipper Rd, Killininny, Dublin
https://goo.gl/maps/3SqisULgskT2

I'm nearly sure there's one either on Mayberry Road or somewhere else around Kilnamanagh, formerly served by the 50 (and possibly one of the local buses).

DUBLINBUSGUY

On the 84 towards Newcastle, there is a pull-in stop with kerbing but no stop on Newcastle Road. The bus stopped there today and let someone off.

DUBLINBUSGUY

About 100m before Stop 5106 in Ballyogan (opposite Ballyogan Wood LUAS Station) there is bus stop markings but no actual stop there.

Conway635

The stop on the Dundrum bypass is for use by the 14/44 during the Dundrum Festival each year when the Main Street is closed. They put it up one Festival year and never took it down.

The one on Castleforbes Road was a short lived terminus of the 151.

C635

XPS_Zero

DUBLINBUSGUY wrote: »

The 45a goes through Shanganagh Cliffs Estate sometimes. The stops in the estate aren't marked on the map of the route because they are route variation stops and the route only uses them once or twice a day during the week only. If someone looked at that route map and then saw the stops (they are the bare type) they would think they are not in use.

There is one that goes down to Dun Laoghaire in the morning and one coming back to drop you home in the afternoon. I once was on a 45a when it went down there and it made me curious to check it out. There used not be actual poles at Rathsallagh but there is one now dunno where there isn't in Shangannagh. It's actually quite well used as an option lot of people seem to use it to go down and back to DL for some shopping.

Wishbone Ash

Lower Main Street, Rush - southern side - bus stop pole opposite the Michael Collins pub (The Cradle Rock). The no. 33 bus only serves Upper Main Street and doesn't go to Lower Main Street.

Rawr

Not sure if this one counts as a ghost stop at all, but maybe more of a stop that never happened:

https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.3690585,-6.5069757,3a,75y,317.86h,79.72t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sko0DgGLXeKZ3g63CKFHGAQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I remember this stop appearing when Leixlip Lousia Bridge (and the Car Park) were rebuilt in the late 90's. From day one, it looked like there was going to be a bus stop here, even with the bus stop-style kerb stones strategically placed at the car park entrance. However nothing seemed to ever appear. Instead the spot was used for un-official parking.

Eventually they cracked down on the unofficial parking here on Accommodation Road (I remember a lot of folks trying to avoid the pay-to-use car park by parking up on the kerb and grassy areas). They put in bollards all along the pathway and I guess they also painted down the "Bus Only" letters to prevent use of that area for parking. Despite the lettering, no bus service ever seemed to operate at the stop.

It has been may years since I have been to Leixlip, so it could have changed. I can even see what I assume to be the HP -> Intel Shuttle in this Google maps image, which might be using it.

However I always wondered if there was an actual plan to use this stop with a Dublin Bus route, or if this was just a design decision to add a bus stop that was never requested.

L1011

KCC like requiring bus stops in planning permission, whether needed or not - one is being put as a condition on a new road in Maynooth that will never be on any route..

TallGlass

Say due it's position it was deactivated, hard to merge into and out of in heavy traffic.

https://goo.gl/maps/z5xD2ZGukrN2

https://goo.gl/maps/ArEfZ3LXodr

pm1977x

Any tips on getting the one outside my house 'ghosted'? Sick of picking cans, naggins, wine bottles, take away wrappers, nappies and assorted rubbish out of the hedge all the time, not to mention 'customers' believing they have free reign to use your garden as a toilet if caught short! :eek:

Muahahaha

Glad I came across this thread because I had this exact problem with the 65 route from Ballymore the other day.

DUBLINBUSGUY wrote: »

On the 65 when the bus approaches Ballymore Eustace the driver stops sometimes and lets people off. There are no stop poles or anything there but Google Maps has stops marked for the inbound 65 and the outbound one near there but it is unclear to me (I'm quite unfamiliar with the area) where exactly on the road Google are talking about because when you open up Streetview for the stop there, there is nothing there and the pictures are from 2009 so the area looks different to when I went on my bus trip to Ballymore earlier this year.

On DB site the map feature shows no bus stops at all between Ballymore and Blessington, they are just not marked even though there are two of them physically there. But then the other thing is that TFI maps marks several but there are no actual yellow poles or bus stop platforms. The stop I was looking for was Bishops Lane/N81 7287 seen here on TFI maps but non existant on DB maps
https://www.transportforireland.ie/plan-a-journey/?name_origin=Poulaphouca+%28Wicklow%29%2C+Poulaphouca+%28Wicklow%29&nameInfo_origin=suburbID%3A57112150%3A10351056%3APoulaphouca+%28Wicklow%29%3A694363%3A291494%3AITMR&name_destination=Dublin%2C+Dublin&nameInfo_destination=suburbID%3A57102020%3A10822013%3ADublin%3A715807%3A265257%3AITMR&itdTripDateTimeDepArr=dep&qqueryMacro=true&language=en&useProxFootSearch=on&itdDate=20200506&itdTime=108&custom_suggestMacro=true&std3_commonMacro=trip&std3_customMacro=true&inclMOT_8=1

I was walking up and down that section of the N81 like a spare eejit looking for a yellow pole and none to be found anywhere and then the 65 goes flying by me anyway.

Ive since emailed DB and they say that TFI maps are wrong and that if its not marked on the DB site as a stop then it isnt a stop. However what this then means is the 65 begins in Ballymore and that there is no stop for the first approx 6-7kms of its journey until it reaches the junction with Russborough House. Theres other stops marked on the TFI map along that stretch (eg Ballymore GAA club, 7284), again no yellow poles present.

So wondering if anyone knows whats going on here. Is it actually the case that the route starts in Ballymore village and then flys by 6-7km worth of houses/side lanes/junctions before it even stops for the first time? Or is there a sort of informal thing with the drivers that if you put your hand out they will stop? If not the only way for lots of people living along the 65 route to get the bus is to actually drive as its way too far to walk.

Also who is responsible for location of bus stops, DB/NTA or county council?

Dravokivich

Traditionally, Dublin bus applies for planning to council. To place stops.

But with NTA looking to make them more of a service provider as opposed to owner, that'll probably change.

Muahahaha

Yeah had thought the NTA might have some input but its not clear from either their site or DBs.

Seems bizarre to me to have a 6-7km stretch with no stops along it. Must be some sort of record for a Dublin Bus route. I know theres a couple of locations in Dublin like at Tolka Valley/N2 where there is barely 100m between two stops, this seems to lurch completely the other way with none to be found anywhere.

What garage runs the 65 route? I might give them a ring because I dont think customer service have any inside info as to what the story is about this.

Rawr

Muahahaha wrote: »

Glad I came across this thread because I had this exact problem with the 65 route from Ballymore the other day.




On DB site the map feature shows no bus stops at all between Ballymore and Blessington, they are just not marked even though there are two of them physically there. But then the other thing is that TFI maps marks several but there are no actual yellow poles or bus stop platforms. The stop I was looking for was Bishops Lane/N81 7287 seen here on TFI maps but non existant on DB maps
https://www.transportforireland.ie/plan-a-journey/?name_origin=Poulaphouca+%28Wicklow%29%2C+Poulaphouca+%28Wicklow%29&nameInfo_origin=suburbID%3A57112150%3A10351056%3APoulaphouca+%28Wicklow%29%3A694363%3A291494%3AITMR&name_destination=Dublin%2C+Dublin&nameInfo_destination=suburbID%3A57102020%3A10822013%3ADublin%3A715807%3A265257%3AITMR&itdTripDateTimeDepArr=dep&qqueryMacro=true&language=en&useProxFootSearch=on&itdDate=20200506&itdTime=108&custom_suggestMacro=true&std3_commonMacro=trip&std3_customMacro=true&inclMOT_8=1

I was walking up and down that section of the N81 like a spare eejit looking for a yellow pole and none to be found anywhere and then the 65 goes flying by me anyway.

Ive since emailed DB and they say that TFI maps are wrong and that if its not marked on the DB site as a stop then it isnt a stop. However what this then means is the 65 begins in Ballymore and that there is no stop for the first approx 6-7kms of its journey until it reaches the junction with Russborough House. Theres other stops marked on the TFI map along that stretch (eg Ballymore GAA club, 7284), again no yellow poles present.

So wondering if anyone knows whats going on here. Is it actually the case that the route starts in Ballymore village and then flys by 6-7km worth of houses/side lanes/junctions before it even stops for the first time? Or is there a sort of informal thing with the drivers that if you put your hand out they will stop? If not the only way for lots of people living along the 65 route to get the bus is to actually drive as its way too far to walk.

Also who is responsible for location of bus stops, DB/NTA or county council?

That is kind of odd.
I had a look a Google maps you can even see what looks like people waiting at an unmarked stop just outside the center of Ballymore. This spot is marked as a bus stop on both Google Maps and the NTA sites.

https://www.google.no/maps/@53.1325946,-6.6105514,3a,83.4y,272.12h,84.9t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sZz7EfWucs0az6pJLb4vAMQ!2e0!5s20090901T000000!7i13312!8i6656

Is it that only drivers and locals to the area know about these stops? If so, it would seem a bit unfair to anyone who is new to the area.

Muahahaha

Okay so I think this conundrum is solved with the assistance of a very helpful poster here. I rang Ringend garage and the controller there confirmed that along this stretch from Ballymore you stand in a safe place where the road is wide and put your hand out, he said try to stand near where the stops are marked on the map. I'll be testing this later this afternoon and will report back.

Rawr wrote: »

That is kind of odd.

Is it that only drivers and locals to the area know about these stops? If so, it would seem a bit unfair to anyone who is new to the area.

Yeah it appears that way. I've checked four bus stop locations along this stretch on Streetview (July 2019) and none of them have yellow poles or any kind of stop infrastructure. So if you're new to the area you could easily assume there is just no stops for about 7km. Its a fair assumption to make because of the restrictions drivers are under about only stopping at marked stops. But if you didnt know how it works you could assume that for years without knowing the real story.

Its a pity really as the unmarked stops run parallel to the Blessington greenway. So someone could get a bus from Dublin to Blessington, then walk the 8km greenway along the lake side via Russborough House (cafe, walled gardens, bird of prey centre) all the way to its southern end from where stop 7287 Bishops Lane/N81 is there and would get you back to Dublin. It would be a neat day trip for tourists but when they get to stop 7287 without local knowledge you wouldnt see a yellow pole or know what to do.

Dravokivich

I'd have concerns then from Autumn to Spring. How'd they see you when it's dark?

neris

One on station road in sutton heading towards the dart station. Im not sure if the dublin bus pole is even there anymore but the layby/pull in for the bus is still there but its been years since a bus used that stop. Cant even remember what bus used it as it was an infrequent stop on one of the routes

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3899181,-6.1116373,3a,75y,120.76h,70.12t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sm-h2tKxPkAC5pyGFIafGIA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Muahahaha

Dravokivich wrote: »

I'd have concerns then from Autumn to Spring. How'd they see you when it's dark?

yeah, it would be pitch dark along these sections. You'd have to wear hi vis and shine your phones torch down at your legs. Luckily that specific stretch of the N81 is pretty wide and the hard shoulder is wide enough for the bus to pull entirely into it.

I wouldnt fancy standing around on it if it was narrow there, the N81 has the location of every single road death along it marked with a white cross so you're under no illusion of how dangerous this road can be. There was three major accidents at the Poulaphoca dam area just last summer alone, one of them a Polish motorbiker who lost his life.

tnegun

Spent a lot of time on the 65 in the 90s on the BallyKnockan route which is even more rural than the Ballymore Eustace run. Buses would stop anywhere you request once you left Blessington and you just flagged them down when wanting to travel. They installed some stops along these routes in the last 10 years but the old rules still apply!

As someone mentioned Spring and Autumn could be interesting for both trying to board and disembark!! I don't think I ever missed one in the dark and wet but I do remember having to run several 100m up the road after the driver only saw me last minute and same when trying to figure out where you were in the dark country side to get off. If a light wasn't on in a house of the bulb blew it could completely throw you!

I agree it is a real pity these aren't properly marked particularly with the Greenway and Russbourough house hopefully the new greenway budget/project will address some of this!

Victor

neris wrote: »

One on station road in sutton heading towards the dart station. Im not sure if the dublin bus pole is even there anymore but the layby/pull in for the bus is still there but its been years since a bus used that stop. Cant even remember what bus used it as it was an infrequent stop on one of the routes

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3899181,-6.1116373,3a,75y,120.76h,70.12t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sm-h2tKxPkAC5pyGFIafGIA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

I think some of the route 102 services and some school operated south of Sutton Cross.

GerardKeating

Victor wrote: »

I think some of the route 102 services and some school operated south of Sutton Cross.

And (in ye olden days) the old Route 88 might have used the stop

Muahahaha

just to update I got the 65 yesterday from that reverse ghost stop with no yellow pole (7287). Just stuck the hand out on a wide hard shoulder and he pulled in immediately. Full cash fare was 3.30 which is a bit of a bargain for a 40km trip to the city centre. It flew in too, got to Dame St in exactly 1 hour.