Dublin - BusConnects

cgcsb wrote: »

2023 to 2024 but could still be cancelled by then. There'll be nothing like that on the h spine anyway.

That's when the real fun will start, the Mannix's of this world wont let CPOing etc happen without a long drawn out fight.

Wetasanotter wrote: »

They're spending millions (tens of millions?) on the redesign - it's valid to criticise elements of such.



Stop ranting and make a better argument than going on increasingly weird segues about arabic, simpsons characters and whether someone is blind or not.

Me? Segues? Surely not.

GT89 wrote: »

True but a native Chinese or Arabic speaker might not realise that

Methinks you might have missed wee GT89's contribution, since deleted, which I was parodying.

Perhaps wind your own neck in yourself before you go around "ranting" at others especially seeing as your contributions on the last couple of pages have been you jumping in with two feet. A wee bit rich.

Wetasanotter wrote: »

You posted that having a useful visual icon that made it clear and obvious what the stop is for was unnecessary because it was self-evidently a bus stop.

That's not accurate. I'm pretty sure his/her point was that whether the icon is a single or double decker bus is irrelevant, as the whole context will make it clear it is a bus stop. I think it's a fair point, whether it's a single or double decker bus on the icon isn't going to make it any more or less recognisable as a bus stop.

Pete_Cavan wrote: »

That's not accurate. I'm pretty sure his/her point was that whether the icon is a single or double decker bus is irrelevant, as the whole context will make it clear it is a bus stop. I think it's a fair point, whether it's a single or double decker bus on the icon isn't going to make it any more or less recognisable as a bus stop.

I thought my point was pretty damn clear. But then again, some people all too readily let the red mist descend, for God knows what reason.

In all my years on boards and in my professional career I don't think I've ever seen such "passion" for an icon atop a bus stop.

If they put as much effort into their public submissions as they do on here losing the rag, imagine what we could all achieve. Such misplaced ranty energy. Shame.

The details of the first round of the new bus network have been published - the H Spine which will replace routes 29a, 31/a/b and 32 along the Howth Road Corridor, to be implemented on Sunday 27th June.

Full details including timetables from termini are here:
https://www.transportforireland.ie/h-spine/

A brochure has been published which shows the routes:
https://www.transportforireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/H-Spine-Booklet-ONLINE-English-11.06.21.pdf

This is a relatively straightforward set of changes from a customer perspective, as it involves the 29a becoming the H1, the 32 becoming the H2, and the 31 becoming the H3. The main changes are an increase in services, and that these routes will operate co-ordinated schedules to deliver a 7-8 minute frequency for much of the day along the Howth Road between City Centre and All Saints Road in Raheny.

These routes will retain the same routing as currently taken, with the exception of the H2 which will operate via Carrickhill Road and Wendell Avenue in Portmarnock, rather than directly along Strand Road.

An additional route H9 will operate some morning peak hour extras inbound only from All Saints Road to the city centre.

A new hourly radial route, route 6, will replace the 31a and 31b and this will operate along the Howth Road to Raheny before deviating along Watermill Road and James Larkin Road, before continuing to Sutton Cross, and then operating first via Strand Road and Shielmartin Road before continuing around Howth Head via the Summit to terminate at Howth Railway Station.

Services will have longer operating hours along the corridor (first outbound buses at 05:00 (Mon/Fri), 06:00 (Sat) and 07:00 (Sun), with last departure from city centre at midnight (Mon-Fri and Sunday), and 00:15 on Saturdays.

Overall there will be about 40 extra departures on the corridor in each direction Monday-Friday, and over 50 extra in each direction on Saturday and on Sunday.

The only other change for now is that the 102 and 32x will have a small routing change in Portmarnock where they will route directly along Strand Road rather than via Wendell Avenue and Carrickbrack Road.

This spine really is a test-bed for the operator (Dublin Bus in this case) before we get into much more complicated changes such as the C Spine later this year.

No fare changes are happening with this round of changes - that will happen with the C Spine (including the 90 minute ticket I expect) as it will involve quite a few new local and orbital bus routes which will result in more connections being made.

Overall, the changes are positive, with longer operating hours and increased service levels throughout the day across the corridor.

The only potential downside that I see, is that the number of the departures from Baldoyle on the H1 will be one less between 07:30 and 08:30 compared with the 29a, and simlilarly the H2 has one less departure from Malahide during that period (there will be extras from further in at All Saints Road).

yascaoimhin wrote: »

Hearing now that the planning application for the Core Bus Corridors has been pushed back to September

Expected as much, in fact expected a 2022 application

Peregrine wrote: »

6 in September, 6 in October. That's final.

and the other 4?

I'd be delighted if we could see some work start at the end of 2022. In my view the village bus gates like at Rathmines and Stoneybatter are the most important parts. I would have preferred to see them put in during lockdown to prevent a return to gridlock.

All seems to have gone quiet on the enforement front. I seem to remember a year ago Ann Graham was going to make a statement 'imminently' on the camera enforcement issue, without which the whole project will fail.

Is the no6 actually going along watermill road and saint lawrence road or is that just the name of the stop on the howth road?

The fanfare around BusConnects would make you think buses are being introduced to Dublin for the first time to replace horse and carts

Shouldn't a bus (or any public transport) system be operated in such a way that it improves and evolves over time as part of its remit and day to day operations. Are Dublin Bus/the NTA basically acknowledging they've operated a static transport system with practically no evolution to justify a large investment? And that cycle will be repeated in busconnects 2,3 etc.

crazy 88 wrote: »

Shouldn't a bus (or any public transport) system be operated in such a way that it improves and evolves over time as part of its remit and day to day operations. Are Dublin Bus/the NTA basically acknowledging they've operated a static transport system with practically no evolution to justify a large investment? And that cycle will be repeated in busconnects 2,3 etc.

Systems can occasionally have large overhauls, which kinda necessitate some public engagement. Prior to this routes were added and altered continuously for decades with no "fanfare" - not exactly sure what you're getting exercised about here

crazy 88 wrote: »

It's being blown out of proportion as the solution to Dublin's transport woes. It certainly won't solve it and I think it will barely make a dent.

Same as the fanfare for dart+. Electrifying a few measly KMs and adding no new stations while some countries have their entire network electrified.

Sorry, respectfully I would suggest that you're wrong about that.

The network changes are important as they involve:
* Increased operating hours, including up to 8 24 hour routes
* Increased frequency on most services particularly off-peak
* Integrated schedules between Spine routes along each Spine to deliver even headways between buses
* Revised timetables with every stop now having an individual timetable
* Many new orbital and local routes across the city with significant increase in frequency on existing ones

The orbitals and locals are key to the network, and they will start in the Autumn, and the integrated schedules will mean a much better service along the eight spine routes in both directions.

Busconnects means a different way of operating the bus service, which then with the extended hours and big number of additional orbital and local routes that
should finally provide more options for people to use the bus instead of the car.

The 90 minute travel ticket should launch alongside the next Spine (C) in the Autumn and that will mean cheaper travel for many - pay one fare instead of two.