Bus chaos sparks outrage as local commuters are left stranded

The Northside’s public transport woes have hit boiling point with furious commuters and local representatives blasting private bus operator Go-Ahead Ireland over chronic service disruptions, particularly on the N6 route connecting Kilbarrack to Finglas.  

From missed appointments to stranded workers and schoolchildren left out in the cold, the chaos has triggered outrage, with Sinn Féin TD Denise Mitchell and People Before Profit Councillor Conor Reddy both calling for urgent government intervention—and even the scrapping of Go-Ahead’s contract altogether.  

“The reliability of the N6 bus route is simply not up to the standard required,” said Deputy Mitchell (pictured above), who has written to Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan demanding immediate action.   

“I’ve received dozens of complaints about buses arriving late—or not at all—especially during rush hour.   

“People can’t get to work, students are missing classes, and families are left scrambling for childcare arrangements. This is not just an inconvenience; it’s a crisis.”  

The N6 is a vital artery for many Dubliners, serving key locations including Beaumont Hospital.

Yet commuters report that buses are routinely canceled with little to no notice, leaving passengers stranded and frustrated.  

Mitchell says she wasn’t satisfied with the excuses offered by Go-Ahead, which cited a shortage of mechanics, traffic congestion, and seasonal illnesses.   

“These are predictable challenges. Go-Ahead needs to step up, hire more staff, and ensure the service meets basic standards.   

“If they can’t, then we need to seriously consider bringing these routes back under the management of Dublin Bus.”  

Echoing these sentiments, Councillor Conor Reddy (pictured above) was equally scathing towards Go-Ahead.  

“Go-Ahead services across Dublin are in complete disarray,” he said.   

“Cancellations and disruptions are now commonplace.   

“It seems an already unreliable service has become even worse in recent weeks.”  

Reddy highlighted issues not only with the N6 but also with the N2 (Clontarf Road to Heuston Station), where multiple peak-time cancellations have left commuters stranded.   

“This is causing huge stress for people trying to get to work, college, and school—many of whom have no other option but the bus.”  

The local councillor pointed to Go-Ahead’s poor track record, noting the company was fined €3 million by the National Transport Authority (NTA) in 2023 for service failures. Despite promises of driver recruitment campaigns, Reddy claims little has improved.   

“It’s clear Go-Ahead can’t recruit or retain staff because of poor pay and conditions. This is the harsh reality of privatisation—profit comes before people.”  

His frustration intensified after it emerged that, despite ongoing service issues, the NTA recently awarded Go-Ahead a new contract to operate services in the Outer Dublin Metropolitan Area from October 2025.   

“While commuters are left waiting in the rain, Go-Ahead is celebrating a €50 million boost in annual revenue. This is what privatisation looks like—profits over passengers.”  

 In response to questions from Northside People regarding the service issues,  a Go-Ahead spokesperson said:  

“Go-Ahead Ireland can confirm that a number of bus services including the N6 have recently experienced service frequency issues which have impacted passengers, and we would like to apologise to all those that have been affected.  

“These service issues are due to a combination of factors.

“At a sectoral level, there is currently a shortage of mechanics impacting transport operators nationally.

“This has meant that buses are taking longer to service, thus reducing the number of active vehicles on the road at certain times.

“This issue has been further aggravated by seasonal illnesses which has further reduced the current number of active mechanics able to service our fleet at a given time.  

“Cognisant of our responsibilities to our passengers and those communities that we serve, we have been running a dedicated mechanics recruitment campaign offering a comprehensive and competitive package for candidates.

“As such, we have experienced an increase in applications for the role of HGV Mechanics since the new year, which will address the current issues and enhance our engineering capacity overall.  

“Finally, we would again like to take this opportunity to apologise to passengers impacted by the recent service issues.  

“Our passenger commitment is fundamental to Go-ahead Ireland, and we strive to offer the best possible service to those communities that we serve.”