BusConnects Dublin - Big changes to Bus Network

CatInABox wrote: »

This gave me a good laugh, the Irish Times opines on the future of Dublin.

"Official defensiveness and political cowardice, along with deep-seated inertia, have obstructed innovation in the city", which is accurate, but totally ignores their own behaviour when it comes to projects that are innovative. Their behaviour around BusConnects and Metrolink is nothing short of appalling.

See Also: their hysteria about the green line before it was built

stephenjmcd wrote: »

First time poster to this thread and bus connects is something which is badly needed. Will it happen who knows??

However one thing that stands out for me is they promise quicker journey times. How can that be delivered on when current Dublin bus journey times are only getting worse. Some drivers can do a route in half the time of others.

For example this morning's 6.10 145 to town took 1 hour 20 minutes from bray to pearse street. Simply because of driver slowness, while others will do it in 50 minutes given the time of morning.

Nothing will improve until there is consistency

Why wouldn't you have used the DART if you're going from Bray to Pearse? Surely much quicker?

Slutmonkey57b wrote: »

Depending on where you live, you could be half an hour's walk from the dart.

Bray could do with a solid cycle scheme tbh.

Slutmonkey57b wrote: »

Depending on where you live, you could be half an hour's walk from the dart.

The line still follows it's original 1834 alignment,with some Stations only being finally rendered accessible,in the 20th Century context,in the past 5 years.

The hinterland of the Dublin-Kingstown Railway has however,changed significantly in that 184 years...but let's not rush things..eh ?

On the previous topic of white LED bus displays, I spotted this comparison in Dublin this morning:



Sadly the Maynooth bus was moving quickly (as was my phone) while the 77A was static, so you can't really judge the clarity from the photo. But for my part, I thought it was a lot more legible from a distance compared to the yellow text. They'd need a dimmer function for nighttime though, when it might be too bright.

Documents about CPOs for four of the spines are up on the Bus Connects site https://busconnects.ie/initiatives/core-bus-corridor-project/ and the public consultation opens today. They are doing it on a phased basis for the other routes.

Just had a flick over one of them (Blanch to CC). The timeline hopes to secure permission from ABP in by the end of 2020 with 2021 used for negotiating and purchasing front gardens and then construction of the spine to commence 2022 with each spine taking two years to complete. The starting date of construction of spines is to be staggered, some begin in 2022 and all are planned to be complete by 2027.

Thats if it all goes to plan. If ABP requires an oral hearing then it could add on another year to the timeline.

This isn't enough....

These changes are needed now not in nearly 10 years.


So much could be done right now and be extremely easy such as enforcement of traffic laws and treat buses like the luas and give priority and get people to actually respect the drivers and let buses out.

It needs to be made a legal requirement to allow a bus indicating out.

Enforce bus lane use and yellow box junction use.

If they sorted new ticket machines and fares tomorrow buses would be even quicker straight away.

Enforce bus stop use and create 24 hour bus lanes in and close to the city.

More people are cycling then ever so this business of allowing parking after 7pm etc in major roads into the city should be stopped.

Designate delivery times and create safe places for delivery drivers to actually park and not allow everyone park wherever they like.

We need to be painting active bus stop markings yellow to make them stand out, double red lines like the UK where it's not permitted to stop for any reason including taxi pick up or drop off.

Anpr/CCTV to catch bus lane users including use of bus gate and contra flow bus lanes etc.

It's actually shocking what disrespect people have towards bus drivers and how hard a job we have already.

CatInABox wrote: »

It's got to join somewhere, and they're building a new bridge to cater for it. Seems like they're more than doubling the width of the bridge, turning it from a three lane, two path bridge into a seven lane, two cycle track, two path bridge. They're also removing the roundabout on the far side, so traffic can be dealt with easier on that side.

It's still a gigantic mess of a 5-way junction, that has super long dwell times because so many common traffic routes cross here. Throwing more lanes at it isn't really going to help that.

It's even less of a good idea when you consider that there's already a decently functional easy on-off route to/from the centre in the slip road next to the Crowne Plaza; basically how the 39A does it currently. Making that bus-only would be much better for journey times.

punisher5112 wrote: »

It doesn't help with bus stops being abused and taken over by taxi drivers who I find the worst offenders.

I was assaulted by one recently who wouldn't move or allow enough space to get out of a bus stop.

He gave the fingers and abuse and got out laughing.

He stood on the footpath giving abuse.

I didn't react at all and ignored him.

After waiting some time I got out to get a photo of the car and it's position in a bus stop and he hit me..... He didn't expect what he got back and sheepishly got back in his car.

This was unprovoked.

My first day of college two years ago and I saw a taximan and a bus driver grabbing eachother by their collars on College Street. I side with bus drivers usually tbh.

punisher5112 wrote: »

It doesn't help with bus stops being abused and taken over by taxi drivers who I find the worst offenders.

I was assaulted by one recently who wouldn't move or allow enough space to get out of a bus stop.

He gave the fingers and abuse and got out laughing.

He stood on the footpath giving abuse.

I didn't react at all and ignored him.

After waiting some time I got out to get a photo of the car and it's position in a bus stop and he hit me..... He didn't expect what he got back and sheepishly got back in his car.

This was unprovoked.

The amount of taxis clogging up the qbc’s and bus stops is the elephant in the room. No one seems to mention this.
Taxis need to have restrictions placed on them as to what times they can and cannot use these qbc’s or indeed regular bus lanes. This should be enforced by anpr.
Of course it will take serious balls to take on the taxi federation.

Muahahaha wrote: »

Documents about CPOs for four of the spines are up on the Bus Connects site https://busconnects.ie/initiatives/core-bus-corridor-project/ and the public consultation opens today. They are doing it on a phased basis for the other routes.

Interesting to see on the Lucan corridor there is to be bus stops on the N4/Chapelizod Bypass, built into the cutting above Chapelizod Hill Road.

Always wondered travelling along there why such an approach hadn't been considered. Could solve a big chunk of the Chapelizod bottleneck issue at a stroke (at least for the non-infirm).

Muahahaha wrote: »

Felt pretty dissappointed seeing the timelines myself. The earliest any spine is going to built is 2023 and thats only if there arent any delays in ABP. All spines wont be finished until 2027 which incidentally is when Metrolink is earmarked for opening. So even though the city is at capacity now we still have another decade of waiting for any solutions.

Absolutely shocking really is.

If we were a communist country we could have a full metro system built by 2023 :cool: :pac:

David McWilliams (who does spoof a fair bit) did a very good podcast on the Irish Times Politics podcast the other day. Everything in this country is subordinate to private property interests. This dictates where we live, how much it costs us, and how long it takes us to travel to work and carry out the other essential activities of life. The NIMBYs and BANANAs are firmly in control and keeping their land values up. The rest of us seem content enough in the hope that one day we'll be a NIMBY or BANANA too. Yet when poor people vote Trump in the US in the hope that some day they'll be rich, we laugh at them.

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

I agree that we need to do this, but that in itself will be a crying shame.

It struck me too. In other countries they uproot the tree and replant them.