How to improve Dublin Bus Services in 2017

A few years ago I set out some thoughts on how Dublin Bus services could be cut but the overall service improved for the customer. With some time over Christmas, I did the same again but with a slightly different perspective – in the knowledge that there will be growth next year in the number of buses and drivers available.

I set out below my thoughts. However, before getting into the route specifics, I think there are a few other things that could easily be done by Dublin Bus / NTA / Dublin City Council that would make huge improvements for the general customer.

Sunday start times – Departures begin far too late. IMO, it is very sad to see so many retail businesses treating Sunday just like any other day, but the reality is that thousands of people have work to go to early on a Sunday morning, yet Dublin Bus don’t have a meaningful service to the city Centre until about 1000. This is even more acute on Bank Holidays when many international businesses are also open. Services along core routes should begin around 0700, like Luas.

Intermediate Stop Times – In other words, if a bus is running ahead of schedule, it holds aty certain stops until the scheduled time is reached. Dublin Bus seem to always have been against this but I think it should at least be implemented in the late evenings when frequencies drop considerably. For example, Route 13 is only every 30 minutes. If you want to plan getting a bus to Ballymun from O’Connell Street, you have to estimate how long the bus will take from Clondalkin. If you just miss it, you have a long wait. If designed correctly, the introduction of this concept shouldn’t result in passengers sitting on stationary buses for any period more than a couple of minutes, but it should help customers overall and maintain even headways between services.

Bus Priority –If we want more people to use public transport, it must be reliable. For it to be reliable, journey times need to be reasonably consistent. As a starting point, I believe bus lanes should be installed everywhere there is capacity. For example, Clanbrassil Street outbound, the N81 outbound after Templeogue, Church Street and Summerhill/Ballybough should all get a lick of paint immediately. Nothing more is needed but it would instantly improve bus services along the routes. Where there isn’t capacity for a general traffic lane and a bus lane, careful design and implementation should take place. Without both, it doesn’t work. For example, the design along Templeouge Road is good but the implementation is pathetic – the bus light to hold back traffic before Terenure Cross has never been calibrated correctly. There are dozens of pinch points across the cities that need addressing urgently. From a cost benefit perspective it’s a no brainer. We don’t need fancy new buses, we don’t need undergrounds or new Luas lines, just a bit of thought and imagination. By way of example, I suspect the area that delays buses most at the moment is Kelly’s Corner which impacts on both the Tallaght and Rathfarnham QBCs. Traffic heading for Hatch Street holds up all routes approaching Kelly’s Corner. I believe this can be addressed with minimal overall disruption to traffic. Here goes:

1. Make Hatch Street one way from Harcourt Street to Earlsfort Terrace. This will increase throughput of traffic from the direction causing problems as you no longer need a green sequence for the Hatch Street to Harcourt Street manoeuvre. Those who can no longer use Hatch Street in the direction they wish have alternative options and are relatively few in number anyway.

2. Reduce overall traffic approaching Kelly’s Corner. Make Harrington Street to Kelly’s Corner bus only. Other traffic can be diverted via Heytesbury Street. Or be braver and make Camden Street outbound bus only.

3. Block Lenox Street at the junction of South Richmond Street to avoid the ‘rat run’. A similar measure was implemented successfully outside the DIT at Bishops Street.

Fares –The Leap Card is now widely used and the additional features such as the new version of “travel 90” are very helpful. The issue I still have with it is the time it takes for a transaction to be processed by a bus driver. It’s anything but ‘swipe and go’. Addressing this would significantly reduce dwell times. I remember seeing a QBC monitoring report a few years ago from the DTO and it showed almost 20% of a bus journey was spent at bus stops. The only way to properly address this is to do away with the complicated fare stage structure. I suspect the fare complexity is also a barrier for people to use buses that don’t normally do so. If I had a say, I would implement the following fares.
• Default Leap Card Fare: €2
• Default Leap Card Fare on an Xpresso Routes: €3
• Cash Fare within Canal Ring: €3
• Cash Fare outside / across Canal Ring: €5

I don’t know what this might mean from a revenue perspective but I don’t think anyone knows for sure – it could possibly raise revenue as a simplified fare structure would boost demand or it could reduce costs as faster journey times would mean the need for less busses and drivers.

The Leap Card is currently cheaper if availing of the City Centre Fare or the 3 stage fare but I think the NTA just need to be confident in selling such a change for the ‘greater good’. The above fare structure is easy to explain and would mean you no longer need to interact with the bus driver. The only possible exception you might make to the above is for outer suburban routes such as the 33 or the 65.

Routes: In assessing the current network of routes, I haven’t started from scratch but rather made some changes to the current setup. I’ve also sent a far greater number of routes to ‘Hubs’ to allow for interchange and to reflect likely destinations for customers. I don’t see why drivers couldn’t take their breaks at such Hubs (e.g. Heuston, Airport, UCD) which would make driver scheduling more efficient.

Route 1 – Cancel. Replaced Southside by 77A; Replaced Northside by higher frequency 16.

Route 4 – Extend Route to Airport on the Northside via Northwood and to Cherrywood Luas via Cornelscourt on the Southside. Increase daytime frequency to every 10 mins.

Route 7s – Cancel inbound diversion for some busses via Blackrock to avoid bunching of services after Blackrock.

Route 9 – No Change

Route 11 – Extend to Bellarmine; every 15 minutes with a few of the morning departures from Bellarmine going via Stillorgan Shopping Centre and the N11 QBC to avoid the morning congestion through Clonskeagh.

Route 13 – I propose that the current 13 service gets its northside terminus extended to the airport. Airport departures should be integrated with route 4. The first of my few radical changes is on the Southside. A few reasons. Firstly the current route runs along the Nass Road which is congested and is served by the Luas. Secondly it also goes via Mount Brown which can lead to huge delays. Thirdly, James’s Street is already well served by the 123 and the 40. So the new 13 route on the Southside takes the current route 51D to Clondalkin (much faster route with bus priority) and then terminates at the Red cow Luas (creating further route integration options).
Route 14 – Extend to airport. This will ensure Fairview and the Malahide Road finally have a connection to the Airport and that Route 16 doesn’t need to make the Beaumont diversion anymore.

Route 15s – No change

Route 16 – Extend to Dundrum Luas via Wyckham Way with the Bus Lanes activated. Increase frequency to 10 minutes all day. Do away with diversion via Beaumount as the extended route 14 to the airport will cover this. Extra Peak Times services on the Southside via Clanbrassil Street and on the Northside from Kellys Corner to Santry (Northwood).

Route 17 – Extend to Heustion Station via James’s Hospital and run route along Luas Tracks then to Heuston. 30 minute frequency.

Route 17A – More running time.

Route 18 – Extend to Liffey Valley via Coldcut Road. No longer serves Palmerstown. Simplify timetable. 15 minute peak, 30 minute off peak frequency

Route 25A and 25B - Extend to UCD via Ballsbridge and Nutley Lane. This increases capacity which is badly needed through Ballsbridge and also offers easy transfer for DART passengers (Sydney Parade) from UCD (without buses being delayed by level crossings like old route 2 and 3 were).

Route 25 and 26 – Currently all Lucan Road buses have integrated timetables but the hourly Route 25 leads to one anomaly every hour and often caries very few passengers as a result. I propose that Route 25 be cancelled but

Route 26 be extended to the current 25 terminus of Dodsboro via Coldcut
Road.

Route 27 – No change but I often observe big gaps on RTPI for this service and a lot of bunching. This tells me greater running time is needed. Intermideiate stops at the Square and Dame Street would help.

Route 27A – Reduce frequency to hourly as core route should be prioritised

Route 27B - Extend route to Heuston on the Southside and to the Airport on the Northside.

Route 29A – No change

Route 31 – No change

Route 32s – No Change

Route 33s – Route all services via Port Tunnel

Route 37 – No Change

Route 38 - The second radical change. Cancel Route 38, 40D, 236 and 238. Replace with a new route running at high frequency from the new Luas terminus at Broombridge and running along the current route 40D to Tyrrelstown and then onto terminate at the Blanchardstown Centre. Every 15 minutes. Retain Route 38A as a direct bus service from the Damastown area to the City Centre. The Leap Card should be able to treat as one ticket a journey starting on a bus in Damastown and finishing on a Luas on Dawson Street.

Route 39s –. Route 39 to be rerouted and terminus changed as follows: Ongar – Clonsilla (not via Centre – goes straight along Clonsilla Road) – Blanchardstown Village – Navan Road Parkway (interchange) – Cabra – Broombridge Luas Stop (terminus). Every 15 minutes. Alternatively, terminate it at the new Grangegorman Campus which will also offer an opportunity to transfer to a Luas.

Route 39A - No change to route 39A. Amend evening timetable slightly. Instead of the current increased frequency of every 5 minutes lasting for less than an hour in the evening, spread the increased frequency out a bit. Say a bus every 7 minutes between 1600 and 1900.

Route 40s – 40D cancelled (see route 38). No change to other routes but greater running time.

Route 41s – No change. If I had complete free reign, I would make loads of changes here to avail of the Port Tunnel by starting services in the Airport and then go via Swords, onto the N1/M1 and then the tunnel but I suspect it wouldn’t happen due to the Swords Express services.

Route 42s – Third Radical Change. Cancel Route due to enhanced Route 142.

Route 43 – No Change

Route 44 –I am all for cross city services but the frequency needs to be much higher for this to work. There is a lot of additional building (commercial and residential) along this route on the Southside so I think it could be a popular route again if given some support. I propose a 15 minute frequency from Enniskerry and terminating at the Dundrum Luas Stop. The Leap card should be able to support integrated ticketing options. I also think the southern terminus should be extended to Powerscourt at relevant times to help tourists. See also Route 118 for a direct service to the city centre at peak. The Leap Card should be able to treat as one ticket a journey starting on a bus in Enniskerry and finishing on a Luas on Dawson Street.

Route 45A – I rarely use this service and must confess I don’t see the point of it but I don’t know enough to say it should be cancelled. But surely Route 7 and Route 145 covers all relevant areas?

Route 46A – Some changes. More running time for greater reliability. Extend Infirmary Road terminus to Heuston Station creating connection options for Phibsboro customers. Buses should run along the Luas Bridge from Parkgate Street (minor changes to traffic light and Luas lights needed).

Route 47 – Cancelled. See route 11 and 25A/B

Route 49 - No Change

Route 51s – Cancelled due to changes to Route 13

Route 53 – Cancelled. See route 151.

Route 54A – No Change

Route 56A – Replace with a shuttle around Ballymount to Red Cow Luas

Route 59 – No change

Route 61 – No change

Route 63 – No Change

Route 65s – No Change

Route 66s and 67s – No Change

Route 68 and 69 – No Change. In light of Route 13 changes, I think
terminating these routes at the Red Cow Luas might be a step too far.

Route 70 – No Change

Route 75 – More running time and 30 minute frequency all day. A new 75X Service at peak times between Red Cow Luas, non-Stop to Sandyford Industrial Estate along M50.

Route 76s – No Change

Route 77A – Extend to current terminus of Route 1 in Sandymount.

Route 79s – No Change

Route 83 – No change but greater bus priority needed around Harrolds Cross and Glasnevin

Route 84 – No longer needed north of BrayChange

Route 84X no change. But redesignate the M11 northbound after the M50 exit as a normal road to facilitate the conversion of the hard shoulder of what is now the remainder of the M11 into a bus lane to assist this route as well as Bus Eireann, Wexford Bus etc.

Route 90 – Cancel. See route 27B

Route 102 – No Change

Route 104 – Extend terminus to Clontarf DART

Route 111 – Like route 45A, I rarely use this service and must confess I don’t see the point of it but I don’t know enough to say it should be cancelled. But surely Route 7 and Route 145 covers all relevant areas?

Route 114 – No change

Route 116 - No Change

Route 118 – Extend to Enniskerry and have one peak departure in each direction

Route 120 – 10 minute shuttle between Ashington and Brombridge Luas

Route 122 – No Change

Route 123 - Reduce frequency to every 10 minutes. Run shorts (route 124) from Marino to St James at peak to offer a 5 minute frequency

Route 130 – No Change

Route 140 – Extend to Airport and to UCD along current route 142. A direct service between Rathmines and UCD should prove popular. It also finally gives an airport connection to residents of Finglas.

Route 142 – The third radical change. Convert into an all-day service replacing Route 42. Terminate at Adelaide Road / Kelly’s Corner. Every 15 minutes. Route 43 still serves the Malahide Road north of Clare Hall.

Route 145 – No Change. Running Times now seem more reliable.

Route 150 – No Change.

Route 151 – Extend Terminus eastward to replace Route 53

Route 161 – Cancel Route. Often carries zero passengers. Route 61 available.

Route 184 and 185 – No Change but potential to reconfigure now that route 84 terminates at Bray.

Route 220 – Cancel. Very little point to this route with Route 17A.

Route 236 and 238 – Cancel – See new route 38.

Route 239 and 270 – No Change