SOUTHSIDERS living in areas served by Dublin Bus have been urged to engage with the National Transport Authority’s consultation process for the proposed BusConnects project as the closing date for submissions nears.
With the September 28 deadline rapidly approaching, a series of busy public meetings have been held in various Southside communities recently to highlight the proposed changes to Dublin Bus services.
Senator Catherine Ardagh held one such meeting last week in the Halfway House on Walkinstown Avenue to discuss proposed changes to services in Walkinstown, Crumlin and Drimnagh.
The Seanad Group Leader said many residents across the Dublin South Central area were growing increasingly concerned regarding the proposed changes to bus services and she urged them to submit their concerns to the NTA by September 28.
Fianna Fail’s Transport Spokesperson, Robert Troy, was also on hand at the meeting to address concerns regarding the future of Dublin Bus services.
Commenting following the meeting Senator Ardagh said: “The residents of D12 and D8 are heavily dependent on their local public bus service to get to and from the city centre and elsewhere around the city.
“Our area has been served well by public bus services to date. However, under these proposals the existing 122 and 123 buses are set to cease servicing South Circular Road and James’s, while there will be reductions in Dublin Bus frequency and connectivity in other parts of the South Inner City.
“Scrapping the 123 service entirely will now mean that people attending St James's Hospital will have to take two buses rather than one – this places an undue burden on the vulnerable and elderly.
“These reductions will mean that many won’t be able to commute to school, college or work in a reasonable time or straight forward way. It was hugely valuable for us all to hear the views of Thomas O'Connor of the National Bus and Rail Union.”
Senator Ardagh added: “Every resident needs to submit their concerns on how they will be affected by these changes to the National Transport Authority to ensure that
they are properly considered.”
The NTA’s BusConnects plan aims to streamline bus services across the city making them faster and more frequent for most passengers.
The proposals will see buses using main spines that run through the city and connect with orbital and local routes. Buses will run every four to eight minutes along each spine and the NTA says there will be frequent local and orbital routes feeding into them, meaning passengers will never be waiting long.
The cost of travelling on the new network will be determined by time instead of distance, with 90-minute fares covering a journey using a combination of bus, DART and Luas.
A short distance fare will also be available. People currently paying a €2.15 fare for a single journey of 6-13 stops are expected to see an increase of around 20c while longer distance fares will decrease by about the same amount.
Meanwhile, a motion submitted by Cllr John Kennedy (FG) in Stillorgan calling for the protection of existing bus service provision on Upper Kilmacud Road was agreed by the Dundrum Area Committee of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.
According to Cllr Kennedy, under the currently proposed BusConnects reforms, the existing bus service fulfilled by the 75 would cease on Upper Kilmacud Road
“The community on Upper Kilmacud Road, with residents in Lakelands, Stillorgan Wood, Stillorgan Heath, Highridge Green, Hazel Avenue, Sweet Briar Lane, Holywell and Marsham Court is long-established.” Cllr Kennedy said. “Many elderly residents are very much reliant on the 75 service to travel regularly to Stillorgan Shopping Centre and Dundrum Shopping Centre.
“Also, the 75 is heavily used by pupils of St Benelux College and St Raphael’s College and that service needs to be retained.”
Separately, Labour councillor Breeda Bonner has alerted locals in Clondalkin that the new bus proposals are to go on display in the City West Hotel in Saggart on Tuesday, September 25 between 3pm and 7pm.
Cllr Bonner is encouraging people to check out these plans as they propose major changes to local bus routes.
“Some of these are good, for example, there will be a greater frequency of buses on our major bus routes and bus links to the Luas but some won’t suit everyone,” Cllr Bonner said. “For example, there is no bus link between Clondalkin and Rathcoole and no bus connection to the Clondalkin/ Fonthill Railway Station.”
And in Tallaght, Fianna Fail General Election Candidate in Dublin South West, Charlie O’Connor, said that while changes are needed in the provision of Dublin Bus services across the city and county, any new plan must feature input from those that use the public transport service.
He was commenting after attending another public information session which was held in the Square, Tallaght.
“It is hugely important that the people of Tallaght and surrounding areas such as Firhouse and Citywest are given an opportunity to air their concerns about the proposed changes to bus routes,” Cllr O’Connor said.
“There has been much debate and discussion about the recent proposals to change and augment the Dublin Bus network, particularly in Dublin South West.
“Public bus services in Dublin are in dire need of improvement but it’s essential that local commuters, who are directly affected, have their say on these proposed changes,” he said.