Go-Ahead Dublin City Routes - Updates and Discussion

Green Party: Ossian Smyth wrote: »

Go-Ahead was refused permission last week for a bus storage area beside the old Ferry Terminal in Dún Laoghaire Harbour. Permission was denied on the grounds that the planning application for the super-cruise ship dock is still ongoing with An Bord Pleanála, following a judicial review. Go-Ahead has permission for a depot in Ballymount but wanted a location in Dún Laoghaire to store 20 buses over night.

Having regard to the provisions of a concurrent Strategic Infrastructural Development application currently with An Bord Pleanala PL06D.PA0051 for a cruise berth facility, it is considered that the proposed change of use of an existing hardstanding area and ticket office to an overnight bus parking facility with associated staff facilities, directly conflicts with the plans and particulars submitted as part of the proposed cruise berth facility that involves the parking of buses/coaches in the same location as the proposed development. It is therefore considered, that the proposal, as presented has the potential to create a traffic hazard within the site, and, it may prejudice the outcome of, and would be premature pending the determination of a Strategic Infrastructure Development planning application PL06D.PA0051. The proposed development is therefore considered to be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development for the area.

KD345 wrote: »

You’re missing the bigger picture, there will be new bills drawn up to reflect the increase in service on routes at most depots. For example, there could be 10 buses added to the 46a, 5 buses added to the 7 etc. and drivers who previously operated the 17, 18 etc. will operate these additional duties instead. There will also be new routes, 24 hour routes and drivers retiring who need replacing etc.

Keep in mind, when Bus Connects rolls out in the next year, the route network will change completely. I wouldn’t be getting hung up on routes numbers and depots too much.

GM228 wrote: »

http://planning.dlrcoco.ie/swiftlg/apas/run/WPHAPPDETAIL.DisplayUrl?theApnID=D18A/0091&FromResultID=&FromSortKey=&FromStartIndex=&theTabNo=5&presTypeLetter=R&presCode=ZH&presLang=1

I wonder if there was an alternative site identified as a just in case, if not will there be I wonder or will they scrap the idea altogether?

dublinman1990 wrote: »

That livery does look very well. It's a good decision that they didn't put the white options for real from the bus livery survey onto the buses otherwise IMO it would have looked terrible. I want to go aside from the livery and talk about other things with GAD at the moment.

There is one problem that I have observed which has not been addressed on numerous occasions by Dublin Bus for the 114 from Blackrock DART Station to Ticknock Hill. There is a bus on it's timetable that leaves from Blackrock Station at 17:15 in the evening that is very unreliable. What I mean is that it turns up & leaves the terminus late at Blackrock very frequently when it's probably goes through heavy traffic or suffering other delays while going through Sandyford. That bus had this problem yesterday of turning up late in Blackrock again. I was walking home through Carysfort Avenue yesterday. I saw the bus stopping at the entrance to UCD Business School at 17:11 yesterday. When I got up to St Augustine's School at around 17:25 yesterday; the bus still hadn't showed up probably until I turned walking out towards Castlebyrne Park.

When I got this bus from the station a few months back. It had a spare driver on it on that day it ran late. The bus turned up at around 17:30 or 17:35 in the evening to bring passengers back up on it's route to Ticknock. This type of problems of turning up late spreads to some of the marked in drivers as well. One of it's marked in drivers was on the bus facing this problem yesterday. This late scheduling does impact on picking up passengers for it's next bus at 17:50.

If the NTA had plans to improve the timetable for the 114 in the evening time when GAD take over from it in 2019; well that would be a start. It can address something good for it's passengers when that part of the timetable is frequently not being met by Dublin Bus. The passengers on the route could be getting better results if the buses were rescheduled in the evenings to make it leave the terminus at Blackrock on time.

Stephen15 wrote: »

I'm surprised by the lack of yellow handrails I thought they were an NTA requirement.

GM228 wrote: »

Wonder will I get a meaningful reply?

Letter to the NTA wrote:

To whom it concerns,

I do hope this query finds itself with the appropriate person and I would be grateful if the Authority as a public body would supply a comprehensive (where appropriate) reply to each point I make.

My queries relate to the provision of public transport services for road and rail, particularly in relation to the recently awarded Go-Ahead (GA) and Bus Eireann (BE) competitive tendering contracts and the future of contract awarding from 2019 onwards.

1. In relation to the GA award for 10% of Dublin bus routes some media reports infer (*1) and indeed present as fact (*2) that the tender by Dublin Bus (DB) was a cheaper option than GA, but overall GA won on the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) basis. Whilst I understand the principles of the MEAT basis and that this is indeed the normal basis for contract award I was wondering if this “understanding” is correct or miss-founded?

This has created confusion amongst the public in general as the same paper also reported potential savings of up to 30% for the state (*1), also another media report (*3) is suggestive that there are savings by the GA contract.

Can the NTA put clarity on these reports please and advise if GA or DB offered the best monetary aspect of the tender, if not when will they?

2. In relation to the above, can the NTA advise same with regards to the GA award of Kildare (former BE) routes and the BE award for Waterford services.

3. Anne Graham is quoted by the Irish Times (*3) as saying she “was not in a position to reveal how much Go-Ahead would be paid for the service until a contract stand-still period had passed”. This can be inferred as meaning the NTA will give details after the stand-still period, legally the minimum contract stand-still period is 14 days so this period is well passed, is this reporting accurate or has it been decided not to publish any details of the contracts now?

4. Can the NTA clarify it’s position in relation to awarding of contracts for the remaining 90% of DB and BE routes and the Irish Rail (IE) services from 2019 onwards and commitments required under the PSO Regulation.

It is well known that the NTA intend to tender the operation of the rail network from 2019 in accordance with the PSO regulation, but these intentions are not 100% certain in relation to the remaining bus network, all indications seem to suggest that competitive tendering will not apply to the remaining bus services (i.e Direct Award will continue) and how that relates to the requirements of the PSO Regulation.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport recently stated in the Dail that there will be no further tendering in the future of the remaining 90% of bus routes (*4), and the NTAs very recently published report (*5) also seems to indicate this by dealing with the “next” direct award contract.

5. would like to ask what provisions have been made with JJ Kavanagh regarding advertising of the new 139 service they are operating, I notice that as part of the contract they must supply a website detailing various information to be made available to the public regarding the service, but bar the NTA website there seems to be very little information on this service in the public domain, certainly nothing on JJs website or any Route 139 type website.

6. Can the NTA provide any information on the start date of the new DB Route 40L to link with Broombridge?

I look forward to your reply.

Regards

(*1) Irish Independent “Blow for Dublin Bus as UK firm wins contract for 24 routes in capital” – August 11th 2017.

https://independent.ie/irish-news/bl...-36021211.html

“The Irish Independent understands that the State-owned company scored higher than the UK firm Go-Ahead on price in a comparitive tendering rocess overseen by the National Transport Authority (NTA), but ranked lower on technical aspects”

“The NTA said it could not outline the savings which would be generated from the outsourcing of routes at this stage, but has previously said that operating costs could drop by as much as 30pc.”

(*2) Irish Independent “Questions remain on why services were outsourced” – August 11th 2017.

https://independent.ie/irish-news/qu...-36021212.html

“The fact that Dublin Bus won on price, but lost on technical or quality issues, is in itself interesting”

(*3) Irish Times “Go-Ahead to start operating some bus routes in Dublin next year” – August 11th 2017.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/cons...858%3fmode=amp

“NTA chief executive Anne Graham said Go-Ahead had offered the “most economically advantageous tender” and would bring a “fresh dimension” to Dublin’s bus services. She said she was not in a position to reveal how much Go-Ahead would be paid for the service until a contract stand-still period had passed, but was “confident the tendered service will result in savings for the State”. The NTA “expects improved punctuality and reliability” on existing services, she added.”

(*4) Shane Ross (Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport) “Dail Eireann – Bus Services Debate” 11th October 2017.

https://beta.oireachtas.ie/en/debate.../8/#pq-answers

“I can assure the Deputy that there are no plans whatsoever to tender for more than 10% of the services in the future”

(*5) NTA Statement Strategy 2018-2022 – published 11th March 2018

https://www.nationaltransport.ie/new...egy-2018-2022/

“Within the period of the this Statement of Strategy, decisions will be made on the next Direct Award contracts for Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann and the extent of any further competition in the subsidised bus market”

Will update with any reply.

Jeremy Ryan, Head of Public Transport Contracts, NTA wrote:

Dear John

I refer to your email on 26 March 2018 to the National Transport Authority regarding public transport services, and set out answers to each of your questions below.

1. Can the NTA advise if GA or DB offered the best monetary aspect of the tender, if not when will they?
The preferred bidder for the Outer Dublin Metropolitan Area contract was selected based on a combination of quality and price aspects. In this case 35% of overall marks were available for quality aspects of tenderers’ bids and 65% were available for price. On this basis, Go-Ahead offered the most economically advantageous tender.

2. Can the NTA advise same with regards to the GA award of Kildare (former BE) routes and the BE award for Waterford services?
The same quality and price criteria and percentage mark weightings (35%:65%) were used in the selecting the preferred bidder for the Kildare corridor and Waterford City contracts.

3. Has it been decided not to publish any details of the contracts now?
The NTA will issue an award notice to the Official Journal of the EU within 48 days of the formal award of each of the three contracts, which will set out such details as are required under EU procurement law. This will include the contract price.

4. Can the NTA clarify its position in relation to awarding of contracts for the remaining 90% of DB and BE routes and the Irish Rail (IE) services from 2019 onwards?
The NTA is currently considering its position in relation to the direct award of bus contracts to Dublin Bus or Bus Éireann from 2019 onwards. As part of this process, stakeholder and public consultations will take place later this year.

In relation to Irish Rail services, national legislation currently requires the Authority to directly award contracts for the operation of rail passenger services to Irish Rail.

5. Information on Route 139 service
Leaflets were distributed by the NTA to households in the catchment area of Route 139 in advance of commencement of services in March. The Transport for Ireland website contains timetable information in relation to the new service. The operator (JJ Kavanagh) has also provided timetable information on its website for Route 139 under “Town and City services”

6. Start date for new bus service to Luas Broombridge stop
The route for this service remains under discussion with Dublin Bus, and no start date has been confirmed.
Regards

Jeremy Ryan
Head of Public Transport Contracts

GM228 wrote: »

Got a reply today to the e-mail I sent the NTA.

In a follow up e-mail they confirmed that formal contracts have not yet issued for any of the three contracts.

In relation to Irish Rail services, national legislation currently requires the Authority to directly award contracts for the operation of rail passenger services to Irish Rail.

punisher5112 wrote: »

They can't let them fail as it would show how they are and have been selling off all public assests.

Look at the Luas run by a huge multinational.
Cie spent a fortune on it before it was decided to be given off.
See how it stays the same operator but just changed their name the odd time.

punisher5112 wrote: »

Land, nama assets which are ours the people of Ireland, Telecom eireann, aerlingus, rte land, many many publicly owned areas such as the towers along the east coast, huge amounts of housing stock or units as they call them to hedge funds etc etc etc....

antoinolachtnai wrote: »

Bus routes which aren’t internally operated by the transport operator have to be tendered. It’s the law.