BusConnects Dublin - Bus Network Changes Discussion

I don't really see the Luas and Metrolink having a major impact on the bus routes, as they don't go exactly the same places, even if certain parts of the route will be duplicated. Besides, the 7 duplicates a decent chunk of the southside DART line and yet it still exists and can get very busy, especially when the trains aren't running.

But at the same time, as LXFlyer said, this most likely won't even be a problem for another decade, so we'll have to wait until we actually get closer to either project being launched.

^^^^^^^

The F-Spine actually has 3 routes. The 9 that goes outside Trinity will be replaced with the F3.

Route 31 from Bus Eireann

It looks like a route variation of the last 11 from Sandyford to OCS. If you look at the 11 route timetable on bus times you'll notice that the 23.30 timetabled departure from Sandyford on Sundays has been removed

wall of text so a brief tl;dr: 47 busses isn't right, I think the number is 67 services an hour and could increase. In context that number isn't that bad, there are probably over 100 DB services an hour through CG already, mind you 100 services an hour is one bus passing every 36 seconds. CG plaza will streamline that corridor and if anything will increase capacity, especially since its removing the right turn onto Dame Street.

It will work better than you think. The important thing to remember is that by simplifying the junction at CG, it will allow much better flow and much more busses and pedestrians through the area. I think there would only need to be 2 phases in the traffic signal cycle after the plaza, one for pedestriants to cross, the other for vehicles. In particular removing the right turn onto Dame Street should help a lot and help keep things moving.

Also I think 47 isn't the right number and it's likely a bit more busses than that because you didn't count the 19, 71, 72, and 85. Which the later three are all currently planned to use CG and run with 2, 2, and 6 busses per hour respectively(only the 85 is planned to use CG post-plaza with 6 services an hour). With the 19 running with 6 busses an hour at peak that is an additional 12 services or 59 busses total. There is also the 73 as well with 6 services an hour that's planned to use CG, but I don't think it makes very much sense to route it through CG post-plaza and I think it will likely be routed along the quays(It's already planned that the 73 will use the Quays). In addition to that there are some additional peak services not counted for the E spine, I counted and I think at peak there are 23 services in one direction or an additional 8 services, but still only 15 in the other. So that is 67 busses in an hour! There will be even more if they schedule additional peak services on the A and F spine, which I imagine they will, especially for the A2.

I could start getting into BE and coach service frequency through CG, maybe even taxi numbers, however I am going to stop counting while I still have my sanity. Because all of this is to say is that when you qoute any number of future BC routes planned to pass through CG, it doesn't mean anything if you aren't giving any context. You need to compare that number to the amount of current non-BC routes using CG, and let me tell you, even I was surprised by the number when I started counting.

Doing my best to count all the non-BC routes, and I didn't count all the variants for my sanity as some variants have their own timetable while others don't.

going straight through CG there are 10 routes: 4, 7, 11, 26, 33D, 37, 38, 39, 40, 70.

and turning at CG there are 18 routes: 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 27, 49, 54A, 56A, 65, 68, 77A, 83, 122, 123, 140, 142, 150.

I could bother to actually count the number of services… but I don't think I need to and I really don't want to. With 26 routes and thats not counting the 19, E1, and E2, if they only averaged 3 services an hour it would already be higher than the 67 services I counted. I don't need to sort through >26(because of variants) timetables to know that they average more than that, especially when I already know a number of those routes operate at a high frequency. For example the 15s alone are 23 services and the 39s another 13.

If I had to guess there is probably well over 100 DB services using CG during the peak hour. The reality is 100 services an hour isn't even a big number, it's not even 2 busses a minute per direction and would mean on average there is one bus passing through CG every 36 seconds. And again going back to what I said at the start, CG plaza is likely going to increase the capacity through CG, not reduce it.

F spine is going to include a number of small infrastructural changes, namely bus lanes along Cuffe Street and St Stephen's Green. Hume Street is gonna go to a contraflow bus lane, and there will be a smattering of cycle bollards and junction formalisation to go with it along the route between Kevin Street and Merrion Square.

Also D Spine is due to launch in November 2025 but its early days.

Im personally hoping/expecting they will. Correct me if I am wrong but the extra peak time services for the E1 have been quite succesful, and I would be surprised if the A and D spines don't get extra peak tme services, especially the A2 which is looking to become the main city airport bus, and the D1 which looks to be replacing the 15 and maybe some variants.

Though it does make me wonder what their plan with their peak time spine routes (A9, D9, etc) is. Im aware the H9 was pulled from service because of low passenger numbers, but am I bit curious why they chose to implement the added E1 services as short services rather than as the E9(even though it is a different route). Maybe they will choose to abandon the 9 routes and continue with how they have done it with the E1. Though if they are introducing variants of routes I would personally like it to be more obvious, same with the Wadelai Park 19s (although I have heard they are transporting mostly air). I know one of the goals of BC was to get rid of all the odd variants to make things more clear, but having 2 versions of the same route, particularly if its ending early rather than just starting early, I think can be confusing.

I can definitely see the other spines also getting these "shorts" to increase frequency on the busiest sections.

The E1 (and E2) is quite busy throughout the day, but the shorts do help with capacity during rush hour. I started taking the dart more often because the buses are usually very slow in my experience, but the few times I've been on the E1 between Bray and city centre, I didn't see people be unable to get on the bus the way it would happen on the 145/155 as soon as one or two buses were cancelled.

Also I do agree that they should make the shorts stand out more somehow - from time to time I see people get turned away from an E1 short at Westmoreland, because they didn't realise that the bus only goes to Parnell.

I guess this is relating to the D-Spine… 80 more people out of the population. Like driving a bus is no easy job, so why are GAI and DB pushing people to drive a bus, because of 1 transport project that is going to definitely fail in some years..

You should organise a protest!