Dublin - BusConnects

https://www.rte.ie/news/dublin/2025/0424/1509153-bus-connects/

So the Liffey valley scheme is being watered down despite no JR. What was the point of all this planning and money to change it at the last minute

We're done for

At this stage I think most right minded people are just exhausted with the inaction, nimbyism and naval gazing, just cancel it already. It's clear there's no will to actually improve public transport

I think that most right minded people aren’t the ones objecting, but the ones that do have a constitutional right to do so, no matter how much you or I may wish that they couldn’t object.

Two schemes are out to tender to start construction this year, things are happening.

That new CBC design proposal to get rid of the Ballyfermot roundabout is a complete joke. Who the hell within the NTA thought that was a design that was deemed safe for both cyclists & pedestrians who want to use the new road in that part of Dublin in years to come? It makes the whole concept of BusConnects a complete farce when things like these thrown into the planning process when some residents have a hissy fit having to give up their parking spaces in the future. The original plan for the scheme was so much better & sensible than was proposed by the NTA last week.

Apologies - for some reason I completely missed that post containing the pdf.

Then I'd have to agree and question how this can even be allowed given that we have gone through a full planning process. It's potentially leaving the whole process open to legal challenge surely?

I live in Shankill. The NTA shot themselves in the foot with the first plan. They got the units mixed up quoted the length of the route in miles but give the units as KM. That's the worst kind of schoolboy error in my book. Also, the design was desk exercise they didn't survey the route. For example, they wanted to put 4 lanes through the village. That would make it more like the Stillorgan Road except no center median. Good luck to any parent or old person trying to cross. They also said there was no parking in village, there are dedicated parking bays on both sides. That shows no survey or ever google street view.

They want to cut down health old trees on both sides of the village as far back as the Crinken Church. They also want to move the footpath into the park, that would mean women walking through a dark and screened off area alone at night. Not many would feel safe doing that. Form a design point of view it can only be an F.

They also have data from bus journeys; I'd love to see them prove it beneficial. I tend to drive through village between 8:30 and 930. At 8:30 the only thing slowing cars down are the busses picking up passengers. After 9 it's very free flowing. Heading towards Bray there is no traffic. Yes, when all the land around Shankill is developed there may be an issue but right now the biggest problem is the mess they made of the change from the 145 and 155 to the E1. People are regularly badly let down getting to school, college and work. Now anybody who needs to get to DCU or Huston or from Huston to UCD have to take two busses. But they can't depend on the next two E1s showing up. There are also less E1s that 145 + 155's during peak time so less capacity.

I know people will call this NYBYism but we deserve better than half assed design that isn't needed and a reduce service.

From Your experience of the village, do you reckon a bus gate either side of it would be a good solution? No road changes (outside installing a bus gate either end) just giving buses a clear run through the village? Would there be space for cycle lanes if there's no bus lanes?

If you're talking about Shankill, it took me 3 minutes to get from Quinns road the lights at the petrol station. Most of that was from the church round about to the light. Was held up by a bus and the light as well as traffic joining from the Shanganagh road at the church roundabout. Personally I think that is good for peak time (8:30) I don't see how bus connects would get busses through faster.

Does anyone know who is best to contact about these sweeping changes to the Liffey valley scheme? I don't understand how it's compatible with the existing planning permission and really don't understand why they are caving when there is no judicial review forcing them.