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THE NATIONAL TRANSPORT Authority will tell an Oireachtas committee today that it has received 30,000 submissions on the BusConnects plan.
Appearing before the committee, Anne Graham, Chief Executive Officer of the National Transport Authority (NTA) will tell members that they are continuing to work on the revisions to the proposed network.
Graham states in her opening statement that this work will be completed this summer, however, she adds that “in deference to the requests received from public representatives, we will commence the consultation on the revised network in September this year”.
There has been some controversy over the new plans to overhaul 16 of the busiest bus corridors in Dublin.
The BusConnects project will redesign the bus network by delivering 230 kilometres of dedicated bus lanes and 200 kilometres of cycle tracks.
However, concerns were raised after it emerged that some homeowners will lose some of their gardens due to the plans.
A number of areas of south Dublin have protested against the NTA plans, with locals claiming it will destroy communities.
The planned NTA Bus Connects Corridor 12 from Rathfarnham to the city centre is one such plan being met with strong opposition from local residents and businesses.
Rathgar Road Residents Group has joined neighbours from Rathfarnham, Templeogue and Terenure by launching the ‘Rathgar Is A Community Not A Corridor’ campaign.
Recently, local residents and campaigners in Stoneybatter held a a day of action to highlight what they said will be the “devastating impact” the new bus corridor in their area.
Public consultation
The first phase of the public consultations commenced in November 2018, the second phase starting in January 2019, and the third phase commencing on 26 February 2019.
Since the initial consultation was launched in 2018, BusConnects customer service team has responded to approximately 1000 calls and a total of 2,400 emails and webform questions, the committee will be told.
To date, NTA representatives have met 230 property owners regarding the current bus plan proposals – this equates to about 15% of all affected property owners seeking a one-to-one meeting.
Graham will also tell the committee that 1200 people have attended the 12 public information events that have been held so far, with more meetings scheduled for this week.
She will also tell members that the closing dates for the consultation have been extended by one month on all phases, so members of the public can still submit their opinions on the plans.
Metrolink plans
Separately, the committee will also discuss the new Metrolink plan, which was announced yesterday.
The NTA confirmed that the Metrolink project will not continue south of the Charlemont Luas stop in Dublin.
The move had been widely expected, following reports last month that the route, which had been due to run to Sandyford in the south of the county, would terminate at the south city stop due to planned disruption of the Luas Green Line lasting up to four years.
The announcement this afternoon follows a public consultation on an initial route last year, when the National Transport Authority received over 8,000 submissions on the matter.
Now, the mostly underground route, due to connect Dublin Airport to the city centre will stop at Charlemont, just to the south of the Ranelagh Lias stop.
A proposed upgrade of the Luas Green Line will instead occur “at an appropriate point in the future”, although the authority said this may not happen for up to 20 years.
“It is projected that the number of people seeking to travel on the Green Line in future years will exceed the carrying capacity of the Luas system, requiring an upgrade. However, that upgrade is not expected to be needed for some time – perhaps twenty years or so,” Graham will tell the committee today.
In her opening statement, she outlines that under the new Metrolink plan the number of homes that will need to be acquired for the project has been reduced, stating that for example, the apartment building near Glasnevin Station, which is currently home to about 40 people, will no longer need to be acquired.
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This country baffles me sometimes… constantly people moaning about a lack of transport and then something really positive like post 1am Luas gets proposed and people are like “nah I’ll walk home thanks” and other comments drowned in negativity. Blame the government all you want folks, a lot of our lack of progress is due to this “no thanks, not in my backyard” generation ruining it for the rest of us.
@The CFC Standard: red line at 8pm on a Friday is pretty rough, imagine 1am? They need to provide proper security to run it at this time.
@The CFC Standard: agreed – there’s also the reality that far too many of our wonderful people behaviour Friday and Saturday nights needs to be called out – it’s little wonder drivers would choose to work 7am until 7pm rather than tolerate the drunken abusive and often outright dangerous behaviour of so many people during the wee hours – so many comments complain about the lack of drivers on the road after midnight and wouldn’t take that risk for love or money and love to point the blame at everyone else in society – seems to be so much hypocrisy in ireland these days
@Fephie Stitz: I totally agree. I wouldn’t feel safe. It’s like that during the day too.
Good news but there should be security on every Luas, especially late nights.
That sounds lovely & safe
Not a hope. Ill walk home thanks
@John Doyle: So, if you lived in say; Saggart, you’d walk the 30km (4hrs) from the city centre home at 1am. Wow, the hyperbole is strong with you.
@Alan Wright: off ye pop I’ll jump on the luas with the 4 big stt security lads on board
@Darren Callaghan: What? I’m advocating for people to take the luas, it was the other guy that wants to walk.
@John Doyle: you could hitch a ride in an ambulance after you’ve been mugged by a couple of scrotes out on bail?!
Brilliant news hopefully it will be 24 hrs when the demand is there
They’ll do both and then drop back to the gteen line only due to antisocial issues.
They could investigate why only 29% of drivers are working at busy periods. Used to be where they would only work at those times. Sounds like there are enough taxis but they don’t like working when someone is going to get sick or abuse them or fight them or flee. Come on Eamonn
@Simon: or maybe taxis are become less of a cash business and drivers aren’t thinking it’s worth it anymore. Accepting card and using apps like freenow, the taxi driver pays a % of the fare to use that service. Cash is king. And the king is dead.
@Ciaran: well said
@Ciaran: in a post-covid society cash is becoming rare or it will be. Everything is becoming digital and for the better
Could we not allow non taxi licenced Uber drivers to operate Thursday to Sunday 10pm to 3am only? They could be Garda vetted and registered with the national transport authority.
Can’t believe Ryan advocating using public transport when he’s single handedly turned the city into a velodrome ……on yet bike Ryan…..Luas drivers already start earlier and finish later than every other public transport provider in the country now you just want them finishing later whilst your green mates work from home and cycle into the city on a Saturday for some bobble tea and some vegan ice cream…..increasing the trams to later operations will only increase anti social activity. The only way it works is if we have Transport Policing …..but you’d rather focus on cycle lanes
Folks, don’t forget to pack your stab vest and crash helmet in your backpack for these after hours Luas journeys home after those extra late nights out in our fair city. Good luck!!
Can we get rid of closing time constraints, and add more night links and 24 hr luas (restricted time table depending on demand) like any sensible European country
If you are getting I get to have luas at 1-1.30am, then you also need then at 4-5am for those of us who start work early
Great. I don’t live in Dublin, but this seems like an eminently sensible plan.
12% hike in taxi fares, ffs… Nobody else in the state getting half that percentage of a rise…. Incredible
Brilliant news … provided the line doesn’t run right outside your bedroom window ,,.?
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