BusConnects Dublin - Big changes to Bus Network

Citrus_8 · 10-08-2022 6:00pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119452286#Comment_119452286

I think that 19 is purposely once an hour as the NTA put it as a compromise due to residents' request. I don't see this route being important as it duplicates other routes on most of its route. If we do 19 more frequent and make it attractive, this way we discourage people using the spine routes which is a big part of the whole BC idea. I think 19 is the mistake and I dare to call it as a granny bus. E1 via Old Airport Road to the Airport would have done its job for this corridor.

D4 to the airport is a brilliant idea but I don't like the idea of it doing too many things. The main reason we are take off Beaumont from the A2 as we want to make the current 16 more direct to the airport and split the passenger going to the Beaumont using the A1. If we extend the D4 to the airport, we'd make the same mistake as currently the existing 16 is on.

I realise the D4 would initially be the route from town to the Beaumont and from anywhere after Connolly to the airport but people may get confused and feel encouraged to use the D4 from city centre to the airport which would be the same nightmare as the existing 16. I'm really not a fan of making one route to serve several of purposes or a few huge attraction places. This is why I'd want to see more routes on some spines.

I second the idea of boosting the A2.

mikeybhoy · 10-08-2022 6:00pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119453529#Comment_119453529

Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest saw two N6s bunched together yesterday in Santry and yet every other route is being cancelled left right and centre

Citrus_8 · 10-08-2022 6:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119452361#Comment_119452361

That would make the 22 unattractive to the city centre as would add precious time. I'd rather divert L82 via the airport and extend to the estates or divert L89 via the new estates.

hairymaryberry · 10-08-2022 7:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119453876#Comment_119453876

"You know the company is run on overtime"

The new deal eliminated Overtime, thats the point of it

New drivers start on 32,866.60 , €632.05 per week (4-day week inclusive of shift and Sunday premium), its a SIX year pay scale, there will NO overtime for drivers, how will this improve the retention and hiring of new drivers?

Bus connects need a massive number of new drivers, DB & GA cant get them now with practically UNLIMITED overtime, how will they attract new drivers with piss poor pay and conditions?

The shifts in this deal are much worse than current shifts, dont take a genius to see the problems this will create for Bus Connect, there will be a even bigger shortage of drivers, with a SIX year pay scale for new drivers.

thomasj · 10-08-2022 9:36pm

To be fair , while I do think the N8 will be a great route , the fact that its limited to Blanch-Airport-Clongrffin makes its potential fairly limited especially given that it serves the M50 and N32

It would've been nice to have an orbital route that ran Blanch centre>Navan Road>Broombridge>Finglas>Charlestown>Ballymun>Airport back road>Airport>Clongriffin

Wouldve had great potential IMHO

Citrus_8 · 11-08-2022 12:04am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119456189#Comment_119456189

This kind of route is a nonsense and a bad idea as it wouldn't be attractive for Blanchardstown. It needs to be more direct and shouldn't do too many things. I need to remind that it's a BusConnects, not a 'collect everyone from all the villages and streets'. Simply would be enough to make the N8 exit M50 at the J5 and either turn around at Charlestown SC and go back on the M50, but probably taking the R104 (St Margaret's Road by the Ikea) can be quick enough road too. And then jump onto M50 at the J4. I agree that N8 route could be a bit better to make it more popular but diverting it via city, duplicating other routes, losing much precious time and missing the opportunity to use the M50 wouldn't be a wise choice. However, I probably would divert it on the east side via Clarehalll, Coolock and Beaumont (but avoiding the hospital) - it wouldn't be as bad as the suggestion for diversion via Navan Road as the east par either way is close enough to the airport so timing isn't as sensitive.

LXFlyer · 11-08-2022 6:52am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119455275#Comment_119455275

First of all let's not use the term "granny bus". It is certainly pejorative and insulting, and there is really no need for it. If I recall correctly it was banned here before.

The bus service is there for everyone to use, be they young or old, and we don't need terminology like that. The NTA describes them as community bus routes, which is exactly what they are. These routes are important to local communities, as part of the State provision of public services. You might not agree with them, but anyone following the local feeling in Ballyfermot about the replacement of the 79 in Lower Ballyfermot with a much lower frequency route 60 will realise that they are important to local people.

I don't think that hourly frequencies will necessarily cut it politically on some of these community bus routes where they are already at a higher frequency, and the NTA are I suspect realising this in Ballyfermot. Some of them may have to go half-hourly I suspect.

The 19 is certainly a community bus route - it was added in September 2019 (as route 94 to IKEA) to to replace the 11 along Home Farm Road and in Wadelai Estate and the 13 in Poppintree in Ballymun, but was extended to the Airport in the final report in September 2020.

Running a bus service to the Airport from local suburbs at an hourly frequency is crazy. Hence my suggestion of every 20-30 minutes, which would also placate local needs further along the route, which will undoubtedly come to the fore as people take in the actual reality of the changes, as they are in Ballyfermot.

The airport needs a mesh of local routes serving it from northside suburbs in exactly the same way as London Heathrow has, with longer operating hours that meet the employment and air traveller needs. It's getting there with this plan, but there are still annoying gaps.

Not having a direct PSO bus from the Beaumont/Artane area to/from the Airport is in my view a serious mistake. Also the D4 will not be able to turn where the map currently suggests, so will need an alternative location to terminate.

LXFlyer · 11-08-2022 6:57am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119456189#Comment_119456189

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119456798#Comment_119456798

The 24 already links Charlestown with the Airport, so the N8 doesn't need diverting there.

The N4/N6 combination link Blanchardstown with Finglas and Charlestown and I don't think you need another bus doing that?

I would be inclined to leave the N8 as it is - it's a direct connection to Blanchardstown and the DART at Clongriffin.

cgcsb · 11-08-2022 10:06am

N8 should definitely cover Charlestown, city bus routes need stops bot long journeys on motorways and charlestown is a major interchange under bus connects which is bypassed by the N8

bikeman1 · 11-08-2022 12:16pm

Getting agreement with Northwood to allow buses to travel through there is really important and would facilitate covering that huge population and work area (and more coming on stream) with a bus service.

The D4 could continue into there (left off Swords Road) and turn where the E route plans to terminate (presumably at the shops). This would link up those corridors and a bus to the city for Northwood.

DaBluBoi · 11-08-2022 4:05pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119458221#Comment_119458221

Then it'd be duplicating the N6, and really mess up its reliability (only every 30mins). I prefer that it terminate just before the roundabout. There's even a built-in terminus there

LXFlyer · 11-08-2022 5:03pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119459560#Comment_119459560

It needs to go further than the flyover roundabout to link with the A Spine at the very least.

DaBluBoi · 11-08-2022 5:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119459839#Comment_119459839

Isn't that the job of the northern orbitals?

LXFlyer · 11-08-2022 5:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119459949#Comment_119459949

Well if you’re in Beaumont around Artane Castle for example would you like to have to get three buses rather than two (as now) if going to the airport or Swords? The orbitals aren’t exactly close by.

Stopping a bus route (any bus route) short of a Spine would be a tad daft - the whole point of this project is to maximise connectivity.

Fizzy Duck · 11-08-2022 7:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119460049#Comment_119460049

Like the N6 stopping at Kilbarrack and not the Coast Road.

jd · 11-08-2022 8:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119458221#Comment_119458221

The other alternative is something like this (First Stop would not be too happy)

LXFlyer · 11-08-2022 9:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119460497#Comment_119460497

While I’d prefer it to go further, it does cross the main H spine route at Kilbarrack Fire Station for Donaghmede and Baldoyle and intersects with DART for Portmarnock, Malahide, Sutton and Howth.

LXFlyer · 11-08-2022 9:56pm

it would seem that the driver’s pay deal has been passed at Dublin Bus by the tightest of margins.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2022/0811/1315262-dublin-bus/

mikeybhoy · 11-08-2022 10:07pm

What's the exact details of the deal. Can't find it on the Labour Court website

LXFlyer · 11-08-2022 10:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119461111#Comment_119461111

That level of detail is not going to be in the public domain unless people decide to leak it - the fine details of deals between employers and employees generally are matters between the parties concerned? If you're not an employee is that level of detail really anyone else's business being honest? But you can be sure there's going to be a lot of heated discussion within the company, given the tight nature of the margin. But that's democracy for you!

Peregrine · 11-08-2022 10:30pm

The details of phase 4 (G spine and 60) have been published early to get ahead of the misinformation being spread by local politicians. G1 & G2 are 24/7. Still due to be launched in October.

https://www.transportforireland.ie/getting-around/by-bus/g-spine/

Fizzy Duck · 11-08-2022 10:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119461052#Comment_119461052

True. It just would've been nice for it to go the Coast Road though I suppose impractical at the time.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119461222#Comment_119461222

I see the 60 is to go to Sir John Rogersons Quay.

Tickityboo · 11-08-2022 11:09pm

Delete

Tickityboo · 11-08-2022 11:11pm

D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119461111#Comment_119461111

As Lxflyer said unless you work for Dublin Bus it's really none of your business!!

stinkbomb · 11-08-2022 11:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119453920#Comment_119453920

That's not true. Nothing in the agreement about changes to driver's working hours. There will actually now be less duties with 9 hour plus spreads. Driver's have accepted a much improved proposal. A bigger pay rise, greater annual leave entitlement along with some very minor adjustments to terms and conditions some of which are improvements

Fizzy Duck · 11-08-2022 11:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119461400#Comment_119461400

He doesn't work for db, so his opinion on it is invalid imho.

Tickityboo · 11-08-2022 11:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119461400#Comment_119461400

You're wrong!

there are several changes to drivers hours.If you have the document I suggest you read it again.

stinkbomb · 12-08-2022 12:13am

I've read the document. Only changes to working hours I can see are improvements eg. improved guaranteed finishing times on early duties. Are these the changes you're referring to? If not, would you care to enlighten me?

DaBluBoi · 12-08-2022 12:21am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119461311#Comment_119461311

Must be an error. Page doesn't seem complete yet

Kinda odd that they'll change stop 273 tho, to add the 40 to it. Perhaps it'll be a future stop for the F Spine?

DaBluBoi · 12-08-2022 12:25am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119461064#Comment_119461064

Hopefully this'll lead to faster implementation of the phases, instead of the long delays that we've come to expect of Bus Connects

BusConnects Dublin - Big changes to Bus Network

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