Call to end Local Link gap in mountain communities

Communities on the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown side of the Dublin Mountains are being left behind when it comes to Local Link bus services, councillors have claimed.

Fine Gael councillors Pierce Dargan, John Kennedy and Barry Saul say it is a matter of “basic fairness” that residents in their area receive the same level of public transport already operating in neighbouring South Dublin County Council.

They are calling for the urgent introduction of a new single-decker Local Link route serving Glencullen, Kilternan, Carrickmines Luas, Foxrock Village, Sandyford Business District, Kilmacud, Goatstown and Dundrum.

The councillors argue that while communities within South Dublin County Council benefit from the SD3 and SD4 Local Link services, there is no comparable coverage on the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown side of the mountains, leaving what they describe as a clear gap in provision.

“It is simply not fair that one side of the Dublin Mountains has a dedicated Local Link service while the other does not,” Cllr Dargan said.

“Residents in Glencullen, Kilternan and surrounding areas deserve the same access to reliable public transport. We need parity of service and we need it delivered without delay,”.

Cllr Kennedy said long-standing service gaps remain across parts of the area, pointing in particular to Foxrock Village, which lacks a regular bus service in its centre.

“There are significant gaps in service such as in Foxrock Village, which does not have a regular bus service in the centre of the village and could benefit from a single-decker service linking, for instance, to Luas stations.

“This initiative may need a new Transportation Coordination Unit focus for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, similar to what has occurred within South Dublin County Council,” he said.

Cllr Saul said the proposed route would not only address rural transport gaps around the mountains but also support more sustainable commuting patterns across the wider area.

“A new bus route has been mooted as a good proposal also for Sandyford Business District to allow more workers living in the surrounding Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown community to avail more of public transport for a more convenient direct bus to the district.

“A Local Link bus could cover both the rural service gaps around the Dublin Mountains and also benefit the urban suburbs that need a better level of bus service also.” he said.

The councillors confirmed they intend to raise the proposal at upcoming council meetings in an effort to secure the same level of Local Link provision for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown as already operates in neighbouring areas.