Dublin Port to City Centre - Fundamental problem

Ronald Binge Redux

There is a letter in today's IT about yet another case of Nolans failing to turn up for passengers to Stena. See link.

Will TFI admit that their arrangements for buses to and from Stena and Irish Ferries are a failure?

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/2024/03/30/public-transport-to-dublin-port/

91wx763

Behind paywall. Can you cut and paste the text please ?

Ronald Binge Redux

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121955824#Comment_121955824

Of course.

Sir, – On three different days this month, both myself and my friends were unable to travel by the only connecting private bus service to the Stena Line Terminal at Dublin Port as the bus failed to turn up on each of these three occasions, and also there is no indication on the bus stop at Custom House Quay that this is where you should pick this service up. Also worth noting is that the Dublin Bus number 53 also passes the Stena Line terminal but Stena Line passengers cannot use this bus as the Stena Line terminal is not a designated stop.

We had to take a taxi on each of these three occasions. Maybe I should have taken my bike and carried my three suitcases on the handlebars. Transport to Dublin Port is an embarrassment to our country and should be improved without delay. – Yours, etc,

RICHARD CRUISE,

Dún Laoghaire,

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058344230/dublin-port-to-city-centre-fundamental-problem

Things were better for foot passengers 100 years ago in Dun Laoghaire.

When that port closed in 2015 and Dublin Port was handed a monopoly the public transport should have been reassessed.

getoutadodge

It really is a mess. I'm planning a trip to the UK this summer and will just get a taxi to the ferry.

The cycle path is ….stalled….and I check about once a month for progress.

nigra

Interesting IT letter, especially as I've been caught out waiting for a Nolan's bus to the port that never arrived with small children in tow...

What's the best way to improve the unsatisfactory status quo though? Letters to the Irish Times are hardly going to change anything. Does anyone have any constructive suggestions as to how to engage and improve things?

For a start who is responsible for the provision of public transport to the port? Any of Nolan's, Dublin Bus, Dublin Port Company, NTA, TFI. Seems to me like it's hard to even know who to start complaining to!

Murph_D

Well you don't need the cycle path to cycle to the ferry, to be fair. And the bike is hardly an ideal form of transport to the boat for for most travellers. The cycle path is part of the port trying to reintegrate itself into the city and to provide more leisure and cultural facilities (all part of the Dublin Port Masterplan).

That aside, if the 53 bus doesn't stop outside the ferry terminals (the timetable suggests it does), well that is really bizarre. And if it is really as hard as all that to know where the Nolan's coach departs from and stops along the route, that's terrible too.

Losty Dublin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121963396#Comment_121963396

The ferry company/ies run the feeder bus to Dublin Port, so you may need to contact them or perhaps Nolans. Certainly it isn't a CIE or NTA issue. The 53 may not be permitted to go to the terminal, but that's the call of the NTA as to were a bus goes or not.

Vic_08

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121963400#Comment_121963400

There is no stop for the 53 in either direction at T2 (Stena), it stops and terminates at T1 (Irish Ferries).

Annoyingly there is in fact a bus stop pole opposite T2 that is long out of use that they could use were anybody in charge (NTA) bothered.

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3502465,-6.1964581,3a,30y,266.97h,85.78t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1scDXl_4_y68cYkckFGxeAeQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

The Nolan service is a commercial NTA registered service, I don't know the specifics but the ferry companies may pay something towards the operation.

KD345

The 53 only stops at the Irish Ferries terminal and does not serve Stena Line. It easily could by putting in a stop as it drives past the terminal entrance. 

Public transport from Dublin Port has always been awful. The last time I took the ferry from Hollyhead it arrived in Dublin Port at the same time the last 53 of the day departed - 5.30pm on a Sunday evening. 

Things may change soon when route 53 becomes new Bus Connets route 58, it’ll run hourly from 6am until 11pm 7 days a week. They just need to throw up some more stops!

The letter writer to The Times is correct in his anger. Why is there no timetable information on stops, and why doesn’t our public bus service route 53 stop at our port terminals.

Transport For Ireland awarded the licence for route 853 operated by Nolan Coaches, it also operates under the TFI GO ticketing service, and they are the body who should be monitoring our port has adequate public transport.

Consonata

Dublin port really is quite unsuitable to access on foot. I really wish they brought back the Dun Laoghaire service.

bk

Keep in mind, that the roads in Dublin Port are likely owned by Dublin Port and thus the NTA would need permission from them for the location of bus stops in the port. Like how DAA decides where stops go at the airport.

Ronald Binge Redux

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121964544#Comment_121964544

The NTA for reasons best known to itself 'compliance raided' the long standing Dublin Bus 53B from Busaras to Irish Ferries and substituted the privately operated 853.

It has never been satisfactory since. They should have left well enough alone.

Del2005

What's the best way to improve the unsatisfactory status quo though? 

Start paying bus drivers more. All the bus companies are struggling to provide scheduled buses as they can't keep drivers, pay the drivers more and they won't leave.