Disruption to Dublin Bus services

The question is why there's been so little grouting of the roads hours after the snowfall.

This was an update on South Dublin Co. Co. website earlier:

Roads Status Information Update 01.01.2010

South Dublin County Council's road gritting crews have been out evenings (7.00pm) and early mornings (5.00am) since 16th December. Due to the severe weather conditions last night it was necessary for the crews to do an additional run this morning. The crews have also been working during the days over the Christmas period to clear and open roads in the higher grounds, using snow ploughs and other equipment. During this extended period of severe weather, the Council has continued to re-order salt supplies but is now finding it ever more difficult to achieve deliveries because of the countrywide demand on the limited availability of supply. The Council had stockpiled salt supplies in excess of its normal annual requirements and was successful in acquiring additional deliveries, however with the weather forecast predicting continuing frosty conditions it is necessary, in the absence of a guaranteed supply, to prioritise the gritting on the primary routes within the county.

However with the weather forecast predicting continuing frosty conditions it is necessary, in the absence of a guaranteed supply, to prioritise the gritting on the primary routes within the county.

So we now learn that there IS a problem with stocks,at the tail-end of the Press Release.
I would also like to have a more precise definition of the Primary routes which are allegedly being treated with the regularity claimed.

Some element of the normal response has altered and we are not being told.
It is also quite obviously a National Issue as the reports come from all around the country.

Interesting too that we have no indication of interest from any Government Minister ??

Dublin Bus site now updated - most buses runnning

Just came back into Dublin yesterday so hadn't heard about the cancelations. Was waiting on o' connell st for about 25 mins at about 4:30. Thing is, there were at least 50 people doing the same thing. Surely a sign could have been put up in the area?

howiya wrote: »

That'd be a bit unrealistic no? Surely then they'd have to have a sign at every bus stop and not just the one you were standing at?

Not every bus stop but considering there were at least 50 people on o'connell st it wouldn't have been a bad place to put one. Doubt there were that many waiting within such a close distance of each other anywhere else in the city. Mostly tourists too, doubt they were tuned into radio 1...

Disruptions to bus services due to extreme weather conditions, please see below for further details.

Saturday 2nd January 2010
Dublin Bus wishes to advise customers that bus services are operating from all garages. However, where there are still poor conditions in housing estates and high level areas the below curtailments are currently in place.

Dublin Bus are closely monitoring weather conditions, please check back here regularly for further updates or phone our customer service line from 08:00hrs to 18:00hrs.

Dublin Bus apologises for any inconvenience caused.

Last Updated 11:40hrs.

Curtailments currently in place;

3 - to Ringsend Garage only

7 - to Dun Laoghaire only

11 - not serving Wadelai

13 - via Ballymun Road to Ikea

14 - currently no service

15 - to Spawell Roundabout only

17 - currently no service

18 - currently no service

25a - not serving Foxborough, staying on N4

27 - to Malahide Road only

27b - not serving Castletimon

29a - to Howth Road only

31 - to Howth Village only

32 - not serving Baldoyle

37 - not serving Blackhorse Avenue

40/c - to St. Helenas only

41c - to Swords Main Street only

42 - not serving Yellow Walls

42b - only serving main Roads

43 - no service

44 - to Dundrum

45 - to Woodbrook

45a - no service

49 - to Spawell Roundabout

50 - to Walkinstown Roundabout

51b/c - to Bawnogue/Cherrywood only

53 - not serving East Wall staying on main roads

54a - no service

56a - to Walkinstown Roundabout

59 - no service

63 - no service

65 - to City West only

66 - not serving Lucan

66a - terminating at 66b terminus

68 - to Grangecastle only

70 - currently no service

74 - - to Spawell Roundabout

75 - currently no service

76 - Ballyfermot Road only

78a - to Neilstown/Ronanstown

77/a - Walkinstown Roundabout

79a - not serving Dieces Road

84 - to Bray Station only

102 - not serving Seabury or River Valley

104 - stopping at 17a terminus

111 - no service

114 - no service

120 - to Ratoath Road only

122 - terminating at Halfway House pub

123 - via Philipsburgh Avenue

145 - to Bray only

150 - to Walkinston Roundabout

151 - to Grange Castle only

239 - currently no service

There are for sure lessons to be learned in all of these situations.

Sadly,culturally we don`t really do the learning bit in any field,preferring instead to live in the hope of "something turning up".

In common with many of my colleagues who turned in for work yesterday I believe that a Capital City`s primary public transport service should be the LAST to leave the field of play in situations such as this.

Platform staff are full up to their gills with "Customer Service","Cultural Diversity" and Uncle Tom Cobley recognition courses all of which are focused on imposing additional layers of direct responsibility upon the Frontline Staff.

This may well make perfect sense to a young HR or IR Graduate fresh from that degree course BUT none of these people appear to realize that in order for the Frontline Staff to deliver on this new area of responsibility,the Driver/Clerical Officer MUST be fully supported by the management "Backroom".

It is this level of support which was conspicious by it`s absence on New Years Day 2010.
For example the situation in the City Centre simply cannot be the responsibility of the several hundred different drivers from different garages operating on different routes who actually DO recognise the desirability of getting the Bums on their Bus Seats.

If I were in charge of the situation I would have immediately sourced two of the large Mobile LED Trailer-Signs now commonplace for Public Information at large scale events.

Place one at each end of O Connell St and enter the relevant information on a scrolling basis...These things ARE Hi Viz and people DO take notice of them.

Information is POWER and if harnessed can be of extreme benefit to both Operator and Customer/Passenger.

However traditionally we (Dublin Bus) have tended to shy away from such avant-garde schemes,preferring instead a sheet of A4 with doctors scrawl to guide those with good eyesight to their altered locations (This A4 Sheet then can often remain on the pole for years before finally succumbing to sheer old age or pestilance.)

The current weather situation is NOT extreme in any great sense,what IS extreme is the absense of any real public will to conquer the temporary adversity.
It`s almost as if the will to actually do anything for ourselves has been sucked from within us and that is the REAL problem which any Government needs to address urgently.

Probably best to ring the garage and check before leaving home

Good advice Howiya,at least up until Mid December it was......

Since then however,Dublin Bus has operated a new central control system which reduced the numbers of Garage Supervisory Staff substantially.
This now means that at times like this the individual Garages simply do not have anybody there to answer YOUR Phone Call.

Simultaneously it (Dublin Bus) appears to have forgotten that to compensate for that a much improved Head Office Information line is required...Oh well maybe next year sigh .......

D.R cowboy wrote: »

any news on the buses for sunday

From www.dublinbus.ie

Dublin Bus wishes to advise customers that bus services are operating from all garages. However, where there are still poor conditions in housing estates and high level areas the below curtailments are currently in place.

Dublin Bus are closely monitoring weather conditions, please check back here regularly for further updates or phone our customer service line from 08:00hrs to 18:00hrs and from 09:30hrs to 14:00hrs on Sunday 3rd January.

Dublin Bus apologises for any inconvenience caused.

Little they can do until they know how good/bad the roads will be on the day.

Sunday 3rd January 2010
Dublin Bus wishes to advise customers that bus services are operating from all garages. However, where there are still poor conditions in housing estates and high level areas the below curtailments are currently in place.

Dublin Bus are closely monitoring weather conditions, please check back here regularly for further updates or phone our customer service line from 09:30hrs to 14:00hrs.

Dublin Bus apologises for any inconvenience caused.

Last Updated 10:00hrs.

Curtailments currently in place;

3 - to Ringsend Garage only

7 - to Cherrywood not serving Loughlinstown

11 - not serving Wadelai

14/a - to Broadford Roundabout

15 - to Spawell Roundabout only

17 - currently no service

18 - from Cherry Orchard Hospital to Sandymount

19 - not serving Tolka Estate

27 - to Malahide Road only

27b - not serving Castletimon

29a - not serving St. Annes

32 - not serving Abbey Park

37 - not serving Blackhorse Avenue

40d - not serving Rosemount

42 - not serving Yellow Walls

42b - only serving main roads

43 - no service

44 - to Dundrum

45 - to Bray DART Station

49 - to Spawell Roundabout

50 - to Citywest via Tallaght Bypass

51b/c - not serving Dutch Village and Cherrywood using Monastery Road

53 - not serving East Wall staying on main roads

54a - to the Square via Tallaght Bypass not serving fortfield Road

56a - to Walkinstown Roundabout

59 - no service

63 - no service

65 - to City West only

66 - not serving Lucan

66a - terminating at 66b terminus

70 - currently no service

74 - to Spawell Roundabout

75 - via Barton Road to the Square

76 - Ballyfermot Road only

77/a - to Molly Heffernans Pub via Greenhills Road and Tallaght Bypass

78a - to Neilstown/Ronanstown

79a - not serving Dieces Road and Spiddal Park, terminating at Cherry Orchard Hospital

84 - to Bray Station only

102 - not serving Seabury or River Valley

104 - stopping at 17a terminus

120 - to Ratoath Road only

122 - terminating at Halfway House pub

123 - via Philipsburgh Avenue

145 - to Kilmacanogue

150 - to Wellington Roundabout not serving Rossmore

151 - to Grange Castle only

184 - no service

185 - no service

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