Dublin - BusConnects

G-spine is planned to in the summer, likely June or July. The N4, N6, W4, W6 should also be launching in the coming months. N4&N6 were delayed from the January launch due to shortage of drivers

Yes, the bus terminus there is being expanded in preparation for the launch of the G-spine.

I spotted this posted by LUAS the other day:

Slightly Off topic here, but DLR have yet again shown how to do a decent Dublin 'dutch-style' junction, and active travel in general for that matter.

If only the NTA could take note....

one big benefit of the Luas - once the tracks are down, they're down. Bus lanes no matter how well designed or segregated are always going to be a magnet for utility providers to dig up and lay stuff underneath.

Looking at the latest plans for the Blackrock corridor, the one thing that jumps out is how much potential conflict there is going to be between cyclists and bus passengers at the bus stops. I regularly cycle this route, and it's actually not too bad as a cyclist - the Rock bypass has excellent cycle lanes (wide enough to overtake other cyclists) and there's a bus lane most of the rest of the way to Ballsbridge though the surface is variable. You can make excellent time though there are a few pinch points.

The cycle lane in the plans passes through multiple bus stops in places where the footpath is quite narrow - it's the same on the existing N11 cycle-lanes and one of the main reason I don't use that route (along with the crappy surface). Even where the cycle lane goes around the back of the bus shelter, there's invariably pedestrians milling about on it and you have to slow down or even stop.

So whilst this plan will make cycling safer and that in itself will encourage more cyclists, if you're an existing cyclist on the route your going to find yourself on a fairly narrow cycle lane, with increased numbers of other cyclists and coming into conflict with bus passengers every few hundred metres. It will be a lot slower.

(You could of course stay on the road in the bus lane but then you'll get bus drivers sitting on your back wheel and angry taxi drivers waving their arms and pointing at the cycle lane.)

There is certainly some consideration needed to intensification of development at the bus depots even if they remain in place.

Three phases of the new network have been implemented now.

The first two planning applications for the twelve corridors have been submitted to An Bord Pleanála.

The 74 and L25 won’t use the existing terminus, but rather I understand will use a new bay on the bypass by the old shopping centre. There’s not enough space for them at the current terminus.

You’re completely right - it is a mess and God knows what it’ll be like with both the A2 and A4 terminating there.

Just to add a further point - this will mean that people transferring between the L25 and S6 will have to walk from the Dundrum by-pass to either Taney Road or Upper Churchtown Road to transfer unless they are planning for the S6 to loop around the terminus, which would add to overall journey times somewhat, as it already takes the 14 an age to get out of the terminus onto Taney Road.

I was also told previously that the space under the bridge is unavailable for use as part of the bus station which makes options for redesign very limited.

To be honest, I have serious reservations about the realignment of the orbital routes in Dundrum. For a start, the routes are all being moved away from the Dundrum Town Centre, the main source of all public transport use in the area. The S8 replacing the 175, completely misses the main source of traffic for the route and the entire area, which is Dundrum Town Centre. Passengers using the 175 currently to go from Knocklyon or Ballyboden to Dundrum may now have an extended wait for a 74 (at least until the A2 is implemented) to complete their journey as frequencies don't match, and those going to UCD will have to use an alternative route from their areas to connect with the S6.

Personally, I would have changed the proposed orbitals so that they would intersect at Dundrum and actually serve Dundrum Town Centre:

S6 - Change route to Tallaght to Dún Laoghaire and take the planned L25 route to Dún Laoghaire

S8 - Change route to Citywest to Blackrock - use the 74 route from Grange Road to Dundrum and then as per planned S6

L25 - Still be Dundrum to Dún Laoghaire - Change routing to operate via Sandyford Road, Balally and then proposed S8 route to Dún Laoghaire.

Why does any bus route exist? A need was identified for it.

The 65b was originally a variant of the 65 that was established to provide a bus service for Killinarden estate when it was built, and then subsequently was extended to Citywest.

It was re-routed from the N81 west of Spawell as a result of Network Direct to provide a direct service to and from the city centre for residents living south of Killininny Road. Other routes link Firhouse with Tallaght, so it could then route direct via Firhouse Road West to Killinarden and Citywest.

So I had reason to be in Liffey Valley today and spotted this after getting off at the stop on the N4 and walking up the ramp:

Going by the plans, this seems to be additional lay-bys. However , the main terminus doesn't seem to have started construction yet, so maybe this will be used as the temporary terminus of the G-spine for now? And yes, those are 4 traffic light poles for a pedestrian crossing of a cycle track.

For reference, here it is (in red), Vs the location of the proposed main terminus (blue)

Did you use the TFI app? That shows cancellations and curtailments.

Unfortunately like every company in the country at the moment, the bus companies are suffering serious staff shortages due to the current Covid wave.