BusConnects Dublin - Bus Network Changes Discussion

What are the chances of Dublin Bus/NTA ordering the Enviro500EV tri-axle to boost capacity? I also see Wrightbus have launched a tri-axle version of the Streetdeck Electroliner in Hong Kong.

Some of the busier routes like the 15, 16, 39A, C Spine or E Spine could do with these to boost capacity.

This is always an interesting question and there has been a lot of good discussion about it.

At the moment probably not. The NTA is likely prioritising the general rollout of BusConnects and the retiring of single door and end-of-life vehicles. For as nice as the larger buses may be (15-20% extra capacity) everything I mentioned is just a much higher priority, and that means getting as many buses as they can as quickly as they can.

The later point is probably the bigger problem of the two, as DB currently has around 170 buses past the normal end-of-life (14 years if I remember right), all of which also happen to be the single-door buses. Even by itself that is just a lot of buses, but the NTA don't need to just replace them, they need even more buses to continue BC rollout. Plus, from next year the GTs will also start to become life-expired too. BÉ and GAI also have some life-expired urban buses too, but it’s only a handful compared to DB.

Additionally, I wouldn't expect them to order (or more likely setup a framework) any tri-axles before the current framework for the Wright double-deckers is complete. Which, I believe only 421 of 800 have been ordered so far. Though considering the framework is split between DB and BÉ, that will go quite quick, at the rate they have been order buses it could be complete in the next 2-3 years.

That said, I do think they will eventually consider some tri-axles again. It is a good way to boost some routes' capacities by up to 20% without the need for extra services and drivers. However, as said above the bigger question is what routes (and depots) can take them. That I don't have the answer for unfortunately, but their sheer size (and some other comparatively other minor factors) is likely what contributed to only 70 tri-axles being ordered in the mid-2000s.

Yeah I definitely agree that their size would be an issue in depots. They could increase clearance at some of the tricky junctions mentioned. I’d say they will have to look at using them again though, especially as they seem to be reluctant to go down the articulated bus route at the moment. Standing on buses all the way from Knocklyon into town wouldn’t be popular I’d say. Over 400 housing units just got approved near the 15 terminus in Ballycullen. Even with the rerouting of the A3 in recent plans to serve Ballycullen, tri axles could go a long way towards helping capacity out that way. The route is bursting at the seams at the moment. Hopefully more bus priority under the corridor proposals will help.

Would they not? I'm surprised I've seen some of the spots BE get LFs into like Wicklow Town for example and would think that roundabout wouldn't be an issue for a triaxle.

And Katie Hannon takes the opportunity to try to take a swipe at BusConnects. CEO was having none of it.

Thanks for flagging this up. The proposed bus gate outside the library seems like a very fundamental change, routing motor traffic through a busy pedestrian area.

Unless that bus gate is the sort of “bus trap” that I have seen elsewhere, lots of car drivers will just start using it for a short cut.

And the “bus trap” I refer to is a bus gate that has a large sand filled pit in the middle. The pit is wide enough that a buses wheels can clear both sides of it but a car, being narrower, trying to use it ends up deep in the sand and the car owner would need to hire a crane to get their car out of it. Car users who get caught don’t tend to be repeat offenders 😀

I think it helps that the bus gate appears to be designed such that only vehicles coming from Dundrum Main Street, and not from the Bypass, will have the correct angle to be able to use the road.

I don't think there will be much temptation for cars to use the bus gate anyway, it would barely give you a 1 minute shortcut

You can buy tickets through an app there so they are a bit more advanced than us. Why isn't the TFI Go app valid within Dublin it seems daft.

Is there a DB forum to talk about non-busconnects things?