Lucan to Dublin Airport bus needs to be restored, says Moynihan

Fianna Fáil TD Shane Moynihan has launched a bid to restore direct bus links from Lucan to Dublin Airport.

The Dublin Mid-West TD said that despite Lucan being among the fastest-growing communities in Ireland, there is no direct link from the Southside community to the airport.

Moynihan said the cancellation of the Airport Hopper service in 2025 was a major blow to the area, and said that it has only added to “stress” for residents who are going to the airport.

He remarked that people from Sligo and Ballina can go directly to Dublin Airport along the N4, but people in Lucan can not. 

At present, Lucan residents who wish to travel to the airport by public transport must take the C1 or C2 into the city centre and then transfer to route 16 or 19 to the airport, or travel by bus to the Red Cow Roundabout and transfer to the private Dublin Coach service 750 to Dublin Airport.

He noted, “in both of these instances – and there are others – the travel time can exceed one and a half hours for what is a 30-minute drive at off-peak times. This means that many residents are left with little choice but to use taxis or their private cars. In many cases, taxi fares can exceed €50.”

He said it was “puzzling” that regional coach services, including the Expressway route 22 from Sligo to the airport and route 23 from Ballina to the airport, pass through Lucan on the M4 and stop at the Lucan Spa Hotel, yet local Lucan residents can’t avail of a local bus service.

Moynihan said that his office has made a suggestion to the NTA to introduce a new stop at the footbridge on the N4, but the NTA claimed that their services operate on a policy of minimising stops for longer-distance passengers.

He confirmed that the NTA had “no plans” to amend the restrictions or to facilitate a direct connection between Lucan and the airport.

The Fianna Fáil transport spokesperson noted that the introduction of orbital routes such as the N4 and S2 has improved bus services to and from Lucan, and said the momentum should now be used to secure a direct link between Lucan and the airport.

“There is a real scope and opportunity to build on the success of those orbital routes, build on the very positive public disposition there is towards using public transport and providing a very direct link for people who live in Lucan and people who live in Palmerstown to allow them to access the M50 via a public transport link and to get to Dublin Airport,” he said.

“Lucan’s population at this moment in time exceeds that of Waterford city, and it is quite questionable that there is not a direct link between Lucan and Dublin Airport, given the reliance of people in Lucan on the airport for business, holidaying and educational use.”

Fellow Dublin Mid-West TD Emer Higgins, taking questions on behalf of Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien, said that she was also looking to seek resolutions for Lucan residents.

She said she had a “vested interest” in restoring links between Lucan and the airport as a regular user of the Airport Hopper service.

She explained that any decisions taken by commercial operators regarding route scheduling and timetabling are a matter for the commercial company involved, and the NTA has no powers to refuse an application from an operator to reduce or withdraw services on what is a commercial route.

The Fine Gael TD noted that in circumstances where a commercial operator ceases operating a specific route, the NTA undertakes an examination to determine whether, with the discontinuation of the commercial service, it is necessary for a replacement PSO service to be introduced to ensure no loss of connectivity to the travelling public. 

This process includes an assessment of the level of demand for public transport services in the affected area, an evaluation of whether existing PSO services can be reconfigured to meet any shortfall, or whether it is necessary to competitively tender for the provision of services.

Higgins noted that the Minister for Transport has been advised by the NTA that, at present, there are no plans to introduce a replacement subsidised direct service on the Lucan to Dublin Airport route.

She agreed with Moynihan that the orbital bus routes have been a success, and said “we really need to be thinking outside the box and making small changes that would have a big impact for the commuting public.”

The Minister of State noted that the proposed stop on the N4 footbridge is something worth exploring further, and said she would raise it directly with Minister O’Brien, along with potential new stops along the N4 route.

Moynihan said, “if we are suggesting people can use existing routes that take longer to access from Lucan, surely it is consistent with that approach that we allow existing routes coming into the city from the western part of the county to have stops incorporated in them to allow people to access this.”

“This suggestion is coming from constituents and, from my point of view and that of the Minister of State, from a place of wanting people to use public transport. We regularly discuss congestion in this House. I would welcome the NTA making the results of its evaluation available to us for scrutiny; I would like to see how it has done that analysis.”

“If that is not the case, will the NTA then engage with the public transport market to see if a provider will take on this route on a commercial basis? The population is there, and the demand is there for what I think should be a commercial service. However, that certainty and guidance from the NTA will be needed to build that appetite in the market.

Higgins said, “it makes absolute sense to utilise existing routes; it makes sense from a sustainability perspective, from an efficiency perspective and, most importantly, from a public transport users’ perspective.”

“I will absolutely take that feedback back to the Minister for Transport. Orbital routes have been a success in most instances. There has been huge investment in them, and that is because nowadays everybody does not necessarily need to go to the city centre; that is not everybody’s destination.”

She said that improving public transport is about being able to provide people who work on the outskirts of Dublin with better commuting options. 

“They have really worked, and I take on board the Deputy’s feedback that it would work in this instance too,” 

Higgins noted that the decision to cease operations on the Lucan to Dublin Airport route was “solely a matter for the company” and that the NTA has no legislative powers to refuse an application from an operator to either reduce or withdraw services.

“I appreciate that there are no direct routes and that is having an impact locally. I assure the Deputy that his concerns have been heard. I will convey his points, including his very good suggestion regarding the existing bus route, back to the Minister,” she said.