Electric, Hydrogen & Hybrid Electric Buses in Ireland

Was on an Electroliner on the E2 earlier to my great surprise. Does anyone have any idea if this allocation will continue indefinitely?

Looks like they all tracked on the E2 at some point today, other than 254&256

Didn't come up on tfi live, was about 8 mins delayed according to bustimes, screens on both decks weren't displaying any stop information and there were no announcements. Apart from that, great riding experience - no mechanical issues

Not sure why it was running late, just said it was 8 mins delayed on the website. Was also v poor that it wasn't tracking on the tfi live app too

Seems Harristown were just testing their EWs out on the E2 yesterday, they're back to the confines of the 27B today.

GT29 and VG17 (which only operated one trip - the Clonshough-Eden Quay variation) were the only other buses to track on the 27B today it seems.

I've read through the updated Sustainable Mobility Policy, and points 6-8 are all about the low/zero emission fleets.

• 5. Dublin bus fleet: 500 low/zero emission buses by the end of 2027 and 1000 by the end of 2030 of projected ~1500 buses.
• 6. Cork, Limerick, Galway, and Waterford fleets: 180 by end of 2027 and 300 by end of 2030 of projected ~500 buses.
• 7. Chargers in Dublin: 350 charging points by end of 2027 and 700 by end of 2030.
• 8. five additional town services transitioned to zero/emissions. Sligo, Dundalk, and Navan by end of 2027 and then 2 others by 2030.

Truthfully, having looked at all the points, I think a lot of the report is just… odd. There are quite a few points that I don't really think make sense. Many are unambitious, others are too ambitious, etc.

The 2027 milestones for goals 5 and 6 are the really odd ones in that list. As they will likely have been met by the end of this year and exceeded by the end of 2027 (even despite the grid issues). 1000 in Dublin for 2030 I admit is very reasonable though, and I think would be in line with bus replacements and BC rollout. But again 300 In the other cities isn't. The NTA, acording to the BC cork business case wan't 300 low/zero emission buses in Cork alone. Between Galway's depot getting approved for electrification and Tivoli well progressed, I think it's likely we will be closing in on that 300 number by the end of 2027 and hopefully reaching it in 2028.

Point 8 honestly I am interested by. It could be a sign the NTA may be close to setting up a framework for more single-deckers. If so we should hopefully hear news about a new order and/or depot electrifcation sometime this year.

Harristown has finally put some of their EWs onto the F1 today - 5 tracked on the F1, 2 on the E2 and 3 on the 27b (EW232 was on the E2 earlier in the day)

The key thing I was trying to point out and why I was calling the report unambitious is that it was constantly referring to "low/zero" emissions buses, rather than just zero or BEVs or anything more specific. That 500 number for Dublin and that 180 number for Cork, Limerick, Galway, and Waterford includes the PA/PADs (and whatever other random hybrid buses are running around).

For Dublin that is about 220 PAs(and other hybrids), along side the already 140 and rising number of EWs in service, plus whatever EAs they have. Assuming the information from the Independent article is correct, by the end of this year there will be 220 EWs, over 220 hybrids and a few EAs in service, or a total of 450-460 buses (It might be less EWs and more EAs, the article is a bit confusing, but total number is correct). If electrification for any other depot progresses it should easily hit 500 buses.

The 180 for the other cities that is just stupid though and that will be done before the end of the year. There is 61 EWDs in Limerick and 61 PADs in Galway. With Tivoli opening soon and Galway electrification progressing there should be about 180 before the end of this year. If Capwell progresses at all this year or the start of BC rollout in any of the cities next year then that 300 will be quite close.

Honestly, I am really hoping they just make Tivoli a permanent depot. It would make the rollout of BC much easier, and even when Tivoli is redeveloped I don't think its the worst thing to have a bus depot there. Could mean more routes starting/terminating there, which especially with a nearby train station from CACR could be quite nice.

Sure a bit extra noise is never liked by anyone working or living there, but if its a trade-off for a better bus service (higher frequency, more 24hr routes, etc) I don't think many would complain.

That 99 is an absolutely pointless route

It would be great if the 99 was integrated with a reimagination of the 90 in some form. 99 to Heuston/Parkgate Street, then continue along the route of the 90 out to Spencer Dock, or even Poolbeg once the Ringsend CBC gets built. Would provide extra capacity along the quays and extra capacity for the 1,000s of housing being built on the glass bottles site.

Anyways that's a topic for the Bus Connects thread 😅