BusConnects Dublin - Bus Network Changes Discussion

The 143 is gone

Tried to get an S8 in Tallaght to head out to Sandyford this evening just after 5pm to visit a friend. Bus I was aiming for was canceled, next one was canceled and the next one due was showing ominously only as scheduled and 46 mins away, which means you can add another 10 mins of Go Ahead time onto that estimation if it did run. So I said sod it, I'll jump an S6 and get off in Dundrum and trek up the hill. Same story with the S6. I just gave up and went home. Life is too short to be waiting for nearly an hour at a bus stop after a 12-hour shift.

No point even complaining because you're just passed from TFI to GAI to TFI and back again. Great little system they've set up for themselves!

I didn't think it was possible to make bus services worse in this city, but fair play to NTA and TFI. Masters of incompetence.

Yeah it feels like the the buses need to be taken off service for a while and given a lot of TLC, but the 139 is a busy service (18 departures each way) so maybe they can't do it. Some of the 2012/2013 Citaros they have are possibly the worst buses I've traveled on in Ireland.. they look like they were bought from some UK airport clearance sale (based on the ads they still have). I hope they'll be retired now that they got the 2025 models.

So long as we get cars and taxis off those core routes, it will work well.

I see on the GAI website that work is still progressing on the redevelopment of the new bus bays at Bray Dart Station. Has there been any major progress noted on this getting this work finished yet?

Last I seen (around 2 weeks ago), the taxi rank side was mostly done and they had started tearing up the road & footpath on the bus stop side.

That Go Ahead statement does not even fully represent the issues. No mention of the W2, which had 6 departures in a row cancelled from 7.25 this morning, 4 in a row on Wed morning, and 4 out of 5 (inc 3 in a row) on Tue morning. They are a disgrace.

I think the recent customer notice from GAI really gives them loads of time to plan ahead in getting more resources as we look at BusConnects for the rest of the year. It has been said here already on numerous occasions that the next two phases of BusConnects are rumoured to be operated by Dublin Bus only for the F-Spine & the Route O phase of the programme.

GAI's statement about recruiting mechanics to their workforce does look to be very promising because they might need those additional mechanics in place for routes that will operate on the D-Spine later this year. However the point made a lot of their current mechanics being out sick has undoubtedly caused major problems for their reliability of their network at the moment.

Those mechanics were needed on site in Ballymount to carry out repairs to their bus fleet to make the E-Spine routes run on schedule for all of their passengers. Obviously the current arrangements that GAI have now with their mechanics being out of action has unfortunately placed a spanner in the works in carrying that task to it's fullest potential.

There is also the possibility that the huge amount of mechanics that are needed by GAI to be hired to repair their bus fleet are going to be eventually deployed to their 2 new upcoming bus depots for their ODMA network in the near future.

If GAI acquire 2 new sites & build a depot in time for the remainder of this year. They could use their new North Dublin bus depot with new mechanics on site for repairs & maintenance on buses for their new routes that will be operated for the D-Spine which will include their routes that operate in DCU, N Orbitals, Skerries & Blanchardstown routes etc.

Then in 2026; their new south Dublin/Bray depot will be used to operate their routes for the B & E Spine & S Orbitals. The Ballymount depot will be used for the routes for Kildare/West Dublin ODMA routes.

It's not a bad idea when you think about it. However; that work has to be done very quickly to make it happen.

Always struck as a but of a case of rob Peter to pay Paul. Put all their focus on Bus Connects routes to look good for the NTA and let service suffer on non Bus Connected routes now it appears even that's gone out the window.

Yes, there were definitely doing this and even Dublin Bus were at it. But they could only keep that up for so long!

The orbital routes being cancelled makes a joke out of the connects part.

I’ve seen an N2 cancelled on a Saturday. That left a 1 hour gap in service. This is an inner orbital linking across the city with an hour wait. People will just not bother with it.

There was one Saturday 2 or 3 weeks ago where every other N2 was cancelled for most of the day!

I contacted the NTA about this asking thet it be changed from "Northwood Bray" to "Northwood Santry". I was thinking some of my neighbours would be up in arms if it was changed to "Northwood Ballymun" :)