THE FIRST PHASE of the new BusConnects network in Dublin comes into operation today.

This phase sees the commencement of services on H1 (from Baldoyle), H2 (from Malahide) and H3 (from Howth) routes as well as the new route 6.

The routes are part of the first phase of the new BusConnects network in Dublin which was launched by the National Transport Authority (NTA) in conjunction with Dublin Bus earlier this week.

The H spine branches are the primary driver of the new network to the city centre.

The NTA says this will provide greater levels of service to residents in Howth, Baldoyle, Donaghmede, Raheny, Malahide, Portmarnock and Howth together with the surrounding communities

The new routes commencing service today take over from the current buses in operation, namely the 29a, 32, 31, 31a and 31b.

As part of these arrangements the terminus for route 130 will move from Lower Abbey Street to Talbot Street.

The NTA’s overall objective of the new network will be a significant increase in capacity and frequency for customers, as well as more evening and weekend services for all spines.

This is the first phase in the implementation of the new BusConnects network and follows on from three rounds of public consultation which concluded in 2020.

“As part of the redesign of the network, we engaged with tens of thousands of members of the public across the city and across the region, who have been telling us what they are looking for in a bus network,” NTA CEO Anna Graham said. 

“We have listened to what they have had to say and responded with a network that we believe is a positive change to the city’s services. I am confident that the new service will make travelling by bus easier than ever before,” Graham said.