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Dublin Bus Changes to Improve City Center Journeys

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  • Registered Users Posts: 3,810 ✭✭✭budgemook


    No, the 25a/b don't go over the bridge. They always just turn left from Tara Street on to the quays. They've been doing it for nearly a year already.

    Sorry I meant the buses that unofficially go down there like the 37, 39 and 39a - the ones that will officially be going that way from Monday.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,962 ✭✭✭ Caden Disgusting Producer


    budgemook wrote: »
    Sorry I meant the buses that unofficially go down there like the 37, 39 and 39a - the ones that will officially be going that way from Monday.

    The 25a/b has also been only using it unofficially and just officially changing from Monday. They should have been going down Westmoreland Street but just didn't bother 90% of the time since Luas works blocked up College Green.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,825 ✭✭✭Patser


    Burgh Quay has become a nightmare since the new layout came in. On paper it looks good but in reality poor road markings and absolutely zero enforcement has lead to huge problems on Tara St.

    For example, coming down George's Quay you have 3 lanes of traffic - 1 bus lane and 2 normal lanes, and this continues up to Rosie Hackett Bridge, when without any forewarning to right hand lane is now a right only lane - do everyone in the right now has to merge into middle lane (or just plough happily across Westmoreland St junction and claiming ignorance as many do).

    So while 2 lanes of heavy traffic are now trying to merge into 1 at Rosie Hackett, others are using the rat run down Corn Exchange Place (immigration bureau) to beat traffic on Tara St and George's quay, and are now blocking bus lane to merge in.

    Meanwhile at Tara St people are trying to turn left into this jam in the left only lane - correct - but are getting cut up by those ignoring the big 'Straight Ahead' only markings to skip the queue and swing left at last second. Leaving poor sod that's in correct lane now stuck halfway around turn and also blocking bus lane.

    On George's Quay everyone is now moving into right hand lane to skip all this mess at Tara St junction, flying up to Rosie Hackett wondering why no one else is using this lane, then noticing they're suddenly in a right only lane and cutting in whenever they can (usually yellow box at Rosie Hackett so buses are now stuck on the bridge)

    And all this now flow restricted by soon to be even longer Luases (luaii? Luass?? Luasseses?) crossing on the bridge.

    Just make it a double bus lane, put all other traffic from George's quay along into a single lane (have right turn lanes at Butt and O'Connell bridges, but with access controlled by kerbing/bollards so you can't cut back in). Have Tara St left lane bus only with wide turn into bus lane on Burgh Quay, a 2ns left turn lane for other traffic onto now single far right lane, and again put in some sort of physical barrier to stop muppets cutting in). The double bus lane can merge into single lane after Rosie Hackett, and just like the separate lights now in place on Bachelors Walk buses and cars could be given different timings - which will allow for cars to still make the right turn onto D'Olier St, and also allow buses merge with each other without having to watch for cars as well.


  • Registered Users Posts: 14,325 ✭✭✭✭jimmycrackcorm


    The 25a has been taking that alternative route 90% of the time anyway for months now.

    Let's not discriminate against the poor 25b, but I've been impressed by drivers whose drive this. They're not just auto boots you know!!!
    hmmm wrote:
    So bus passengers are going to be sent all over the world with unknown impacts on their journey time, while taxis can continue to transport one or two passengers along their existing routes.

    Anyone who spends ten times the cost on a taxi over a bus fare probably really needs to do that. You might have some urgent need to do the same since time, so be grateful that there is such an option.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,205 ✭✭✭✭hmmm


    Stephen15 wrote: »
    What we need are bus routes which the most logical and efficient which serve different location of the city centre rather than all meeting the one point like big bowl of spaghetti.
    This is not logic and efficiency, this is prioritising one form of public transport over another, and in particular it is about treating bus passengers as second class citizens - let's shove the buses down a narrow funnel so the shiny grey tube can glide around like in a real life version of sim city.

    Bus passengers have been treated disgracefully throughout this LCC process. We're falling over to congratulate planners for introducing bus priority on the quays, years after it was actually needed. The planners have capitulated to the private car and taxi lobbies repeatedly - with buses being the ones to suffer.

    What's going to happen? Bus passengers are going to suffer, LCC might run more smoothly, taxis are going to clog up the Green as per usual, and success will be declared.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 90 ✭✭nilescraneo


    It's never going to change either. I have no faith in the upcoming bus connects lark after this continuing fiasco of pretending there's enough room for taxis, cars, busses and new luas in the city centre. The continual screwing over of bus users (biggest public transport mode in the city) particularly users who have no other option but the bus is insane, and illustrates that the decision makers in DCC and NTA have absolutely no clue what they are doing, but just want a shiny thing to have their photo taken beside once every decade or so.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,891 ✭✭✭prinzeugen


    This is just the start. No though for people that NEED the bus.

    Its typical as they think the only bus users are commuters.

    I agree that the long trams should go no further than Stephens Green and turn around.

    Open up the useless cyclelane outside the BOI and the pressure would be off.

    Think this is the Plaza by stealth however.


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 14,071 Mod ✭✭✭✭monument


    The Luas is on College Green, services are going to increase, not decrease, trams are going to get longer and pedestrian priority is not going to be held back for much longer.

    In the above outlined reality, these messures are as much about keeping buses moving as keeping trams moving.

    As I’ve stated loads of times, the debate about Luas going around should have been had more openly. But that’s the past.


  • Registered Users Posts: 9,228 ✭✭✭cgcsb


    It's good that DB is getting away from it's An Larism. That needed to happen anyway, not everything can go through the one street. A bus lane on Tara St and no left turn for cars is needed.

    Wouldn't it be wonderful if the CG plaza and Bus Connects were planned and implemented 2 years ago.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,920 ✭✭✭dashcamdanny


    These measures should help .. A little.

    Ringsend buses, I find the bus gate to be the biggest hurdle. Rush hour busses and taxis are the problem .

    I cant get my bus through the bus gate without blocking the yellow box in some way. (which the Garda are ticketing us for ) If one does not push, then the bus will simply stay in the bus gate all day. There is never any clear space in front of the yellow box. Even during non peek times.
    The traffic from D'Olier Street gets a green light exiting the street and then a red at the trinity/BOI pedestrian lights. Which fills the lane just before the bus gate get a green light. WHich in turn forces busgate traffic to break the law and block the box. Or sit, forever.

    I cant believe the guy who designed all this got away with the problems he caused to so many.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 11,205 ✭✭✭✭hmmm


    monument wrote: »
    In the above outlined reality, these messures are as much about keeping buses moving as keeping trams moving.
    It would be helpful if the planners, and those commentating, would avoid being so pompous about what is happening and show a bit more humility.

    No professional involved in planning has apologised to bus (and Green line) passengers for what has happened. Changes are being rammed through in an attempt to alleviate the issues. Bus passengers are being told that they have to suck it up because apparently the needs of the LUAS supersede all other forms of public transport.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,120 ✭✭✭shanec1928


    No, the 25a/b don't go over the bridge. They always just turn left from Tara Street on to the quays. They've been doing it for nearly a year already.

    ive been on a 25b when the driver has went that way before.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 15,656 Mod ✭✭✭✭dfx-


    monument wrote: »
    In the above outlined reality, these messures are as much about keeping buses moving as keeping trams moving.

    As I’ve stated loads of times, the debate about Luas going around should have been had more openly. But that’s the past.

    What a dreadful line, what you might expect out of a corporate meeting or an NTA flyer.

    George's Quay is the last place you'd send buses to keep them moving if that is actually what concerned them (it doesn't)


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,573 ✭✭✭Infini


    Brilliant idea. Route more buses through the Tara st blockade thats so utterly choked up these days that traffic barely moves and big vehicles constantly block up the yellow box. c_c


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 14,071 Mod ✭✭✭✭monument


    hmmm wrote: »
    It would be helpful if the planners, and those commentating, would avoid being so pompous about what is happening and show a bit more humility.

    No professional involved in planning has apologised to bus (and Green line) passengers for what has happened. Changes are being rammed through in an attempt to alleviate the issues. Bus passengers are being told that they have to suck it up because apparently the needs of the LUAS supersede all other forms of public transport.

    I’m open to correction here, but, based on what I know...

    The problem is that you seem to be directing that at the people who are cleaning up the mess and those who are defending them.

    The main people who created the mess were politicians, the RPA/TII and Dublin Bus for allowing Luas Cross City to be planned without accepting the wider impacts or without objecting to that because that’s what the department told them to do.

    They buried their heads in the sand — maybe they were right? Because people who are sticking their heads out to fix the problem or those defending them are getting the slack now.

    dfx- wrote: »
    What a dreadful line, what you might expect out of a corporate meeting or an NTA flyer.

    George's Quay is the last place you'd send buses to keep them moving if that is actually what concerned them (it doesn't)

    What’s the alternative?

    Keep everything on College Green? That’d be worse for everyone, including bus passages.

    Stop trams on a newly opened route? That’s not going to happen.

    At some point we have to start being realistic, even if some people see that as being dreadful.

    Infini wrote: »
    Brilliant idea. Route more buses through the Tara st blockade thats so utterly choked up these days that traffic barely moves and big vehicles constantly block up the yellow box. c_c

    Bus lanes, bus routing fixes, and generally more restrictions on cars entering the area was always going to be needed. Even if the RPA/TII were in denial.


  • Registered Users Posts: 15,853 ✭✭✭✭Spanish Eyes


    So the 25a/b will go down Tara Street (Officially) from Monday.

    I wish I had the time to go through the timetable to see how many other routes will still use College Green including those those going up and down Dame Street. I'd say it's a hell of a lot of buses!

    Not enough space for everyone is there? Something's got to give.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 204 ✭✭Hugh Jampton


    So the 25a/b will go down Tara Street (Officially) from Monday.

    I wish I had the time to go through the timetable to see how many other routes will still use College Green including those those going up and down Dame Street. I'd say it's a hell of a lot of buses!

    Not enough space for everyone is there? Something's got to give.

    Routing buses from different parts of the city into the same places isn't going to be sustainable, much and all as commuters in the GDA allegedly don't want to change enroute.

    The only way around this mess is to reconfigure bus routes where trams and trains already run into feeders for them and to create drop off points near the city centre for pax to change to a bus, tram or train that will bring them closest to where they want to go. All one fare on one ticket.

    Connections then must be so frequent that there is no usual Dublin farting around waiting for a relatively infrequent connection. Finite road space needs to be allocated according to need.


  • Registered Users Posts: 17,182 ✭✭✭✭fritzelly


    All one fare on one ticket.

    Seems to work well for most of Europe - around a euro or so for 60 mins of travel on buses, trams, underground, trains..., so not likely to ever happen here


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,755 ✭✭✭fly_agaric


    The only way around this mess is to reconfigure bus routes where trams and trains already run into feeders for them and to create drop off points near the city centre for pax to change to a bus, tram or train that will bring them closest to where they want to go. All one fare on one ticket.

    The Luas network is a toy system with 2 lines that looks modern + nice, and presents a certain image for Dublin but barely is able for what it needs to carry now. It could not handle a load of outlying bus routes feeding into it I think; perhaps some one can correct me? For that idea we need a load more new public transport infrastructure in Dublin, which is decades away being optimistic.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,205 ✭✭✭✭hmmm


    Is there any works taking place this weekend? What are the council doing to improve bus prioritisation on the impacted routes?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 23,246 ✭✭✭✭Dyr


    monument wrote: »
    I
    Bus lanes, bus routing fixes, and generally more restrictions on cars entering the area was always going to be needed. Even if the RPA/TII were in denial.

    There is no additional restricting of cars, though is there? :confused:

    This is not a fix, it is just moving the problem away from the LUAS and onto more bus commuters

    The dangers of having a poorly thought out Cinderella project that must be a PR success no matter what the cost


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,460 ✭✭✭✭MJohnston


    Bambi wrote: »
    There is no additional restricting of cars, though is there? :confused:

    This is not a fix, it is just moving the problem away from the LUAS and onto more bus commuters

    The dangers of having a poorly thought out Cinderella project that must be a PR success no matter what the cost

    To me this is the tug of war between the NTA on one side who understand what needs to be done to make Dublin a good place for public transport (and who are the ones making the bus route changes), and DCC (or politicians in general) who are only interested in protecting car parks and motoring groups.

    Otherwise, we'd have north and south Quays around O'Connell Bridge fully public transport only, Parliament Street would be two way, and there would be many more legitimate ways to reroute buses to improve service.


  • Registered Users Posts: 910 ✭✭✭XPS_Zero


    fly_agaric wrote: »
    The Luas network is a toy system with 2 lines that looks modern + nice, and presents a certain image for Dublin but barely is able for what it needs to carry now. It could not handle a load of outlying bus routes feeding into it I think; perhaps some one can correct me? For that idea we need a load more new public transport infrastructure in Dublin, which is decades away being optimistic.

    That's because DU and Metro were meant to spread out the pressure and prepare for huge population increases and GDP growth that we knew then was coming, and is now starting to arrive. The great recession interrupted this and gave us breathing room, and building them would have been a great stimulus program for the crash era but we never did it, so now were playing catch up once again just like the Tiger years, EXACT same mistake all over again - booming economy putting pressure on services only this time we don't have the excuse that it was a surprise how well things were doing, the global economy has been recovering since 2014 we should have been on this at least then (or way earlier in a stimulus plan as I said) but didn't, and complacently pat ourselves on the back for a minor extension to Luas which just won't cut it on it's own.

    We need Metro and DU, even if we start digging now they're 5/7 years away, what if we have another Tiger era boom in that time? It's hard NOW to get on a Luas at rush hour, DARTS are getting that way too. We were stupid not to build them as a public works program during the recession but we urgently need to catch up with this now. Luas can ease pressure in the short term with longer trams and IE with 10 min DARTs but that is just a short term pressure valve


  • Registered Users Posts: 17,182 ✭✭✭✭fritzelly


    Bit off topic but what happened with the current underground rail tunnels in the city?


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,779 ✭✭✭Carawaystick


    fritzelly wrote: »
    Bit off topic but what happened with the current underground rail tunnels in the city?

    There's only one, and it carries a few trains on a meandering loop around the city.

    mjohnson wrote:
    Otherwise, we'd have north and south Quays around O'Connell Bridge fully public transport only, Parliament Street would be two way, and there would be many more legitimate ways to reroute buses to improve service.
    I'd make Westland Row PT and bikes only too


  • Registered Users Posts: 9,219 ✭✭✭markpb


    MJohnston wrote: »
    To me this is the tug of war between the NTA on one side who understand what needs to be done to make Dublin a good place for public transport (and who are the ones making the bus route changes), and DCC (or politicians in general) who are only interested in protecting car parks and motoring groups.

    Or to put it another way, you have an appointed NTA with a narrow focus (public transport only) and a single source of funds (DoT) vs DCC who are responsible for everything in Dublin, not just transport, who are elected by people who care about a variety of issues, not just public transport and who get their funds from a variety of sources including a bunch of massive rates paying businesses who feel that vehicle access is essential to their continued profitability.

    Running a city is a careful balancing act between doing what you feel is best (not all councillors agree on this), doing what the permanent staff recommend and doing what will get you or your party re-elected.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,460 ✭✭✭✭MJohnston


    markpb wrote: »
    Or to put it another way, you have an appointed NTA with a narrow focus (public transport only) and a single source of funds (DoT) vs DCC who are responsible for everything in Dublin, not just transport, who are elected by people who care about a variety of issues, not just public transport and who get their funds from a variety of sources including a bunch of massive rates paying businesses who feel that vehicle access is essential to their continued profitability.

    Running a city is a careful balancing act between doing what you feel is best (not all councillors agree on this), doing what the permanent staff recommend and doing what will get you or your party re-elected.

    Yes, well the key is that the council should be intelligent enough to understand that the feelings of those businesses are incorrect and short-sighted. DCC should be thinking and planning medium to long term, where improvements to public transport will ultimately be very beneficial to those same businesses.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,810 ✭✭✭budgemook


    Early days but my commute was much faster today


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,042 ✭✭✭ Heidi Modern Typographer


    budgemook wrote: »
    Early days but my commute was much faster today

    Good to hear since traffic was a ****ing joke all over the place this morning. What route are you on if you don't mind me asking


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 763 ✭✭✭joe_99


    I was on the 66x earlier (8.45). Once it passed O'Connell Bridge it pretty much moved the whole way to merrion square. It was a little sticky crossing over Pearse street onto Westland row but I think in general it worked well.

    I am not convinced the changes for the outward routes will work as well. Tara street has potential to be a severe bottleneck.


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