Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
BRITISH TRANSPORT COMPANY Go-Ahead has signed a contract to operate 24 Dublin Bus routes.
Go-Ahead Dublin is expected to begin operating some of these routes by the middle of October 2018 and all routes by the end of January 2019. Once in full operation, Go-Ahead Dublin will be running 10% of Dublin Bus’ routes.
The company was last year selected as the preferred bidder of the National Transport Authority’s (NTA) tendering process, which it said was carried out to compare and improve Dublin’s bus services.
The UK transport company was one of six applicants shortlisted during the application process.
After four applicants withdrew their bid because a bus depot would not be provided as part of the contract, the final decision was between Go-Ahead and the semi-State company Dublin Bus.
The value of today’s contract is €172 million over five years. This includes full mobilisation costs and the provision of depot facilities.
Concerns raised
Concerns were raised after Go-Ahead was announced as the preferred bidder back in August over work conditions for the new drivers and whether the deal was, or would eventually lead to, the privatisation of Dublin Bus (or part of it).
But the NTA maintained that this is not the privatisation of Dublin Bus and merely a system like the Luas – with routes and vehicles owned by the state and operated by a private company.
The transport authority said that timetables, routes, fares and Leap Cards would be set by the State for Go-Ahead to implement, meaning no routes would be cancelled or hiked up in price (well, not without State approval).
Speaking today, Anne Graham, chief executive of the NTA said that the decision to choose Go-Ahead “is ultimately about improving bus services for Dublin”.
“We believe that with Go-Ahead Dublin as an operator, there will be a fresh dimension to the ways that services are offered. Introducing new providers encourages everybody to focus on their customers’ needs and it encourages innovation and improvements to service quality,” Graham said.
Passengers in areas served by these routes have absolutely no reason to worry about this change. Matters such as fares, frequency and scheduling for the service will all be set by the NTA, and not the operator.
Go-Ahead is one of the largest operators of bus services in the UK, running around a quarter of London’s buses, regional buses that account for around 7% of the UK market, British train services, and bus services in Singapore.
With reporting by Grainne Ní Aodha
Why can’t we keep our money in this country? Promote Irish jobs and companies
@Michelle Duignan: That’s fine provided we don’t want these pesky foreigners buying Irish goods and services in their home country.
@Eric De Red: invest in ourselves and our own economy ! Don’t make my comment sound nasty thank you.
@Michelle Duignan: I’m pretty sure these are still Irish jobs. It’s unlikely that the drivers will be commuting from the UK or Singapore to start their shifts.
@Michelle Duignan: it would have been a tender process open to Irish and foreign companies!
@Neal Ireland Hello.: I agree, but a lot of that money will still be leaving our shores I’m sure.
I just think it’s a pity we couldn’t invest into an Irish company. Even with government help
The country is bleeding money from outsourcing services abroad when with government support and investment we could support ourselves. Initially costing a lot I’m sure but far better for us in the long run?
@Michelle Duignan: Sometimes we need investment and know how from outside Ireland
@Michelle Duignan: No doubt the Irish tenders were miles too expensive.
@Michelle Duignan: Note the Journal headline used the word British to rub the shinners nose in the fact that we need a British company to drive us around.
To answer your question we need to offload the responsibility of being efficient to the British because if we keep those routes then the taxpayer has to prop up the losses in the company with millions annually.
We as a state have demonstrated over the past 70 years that we cannot run any state or semi state body to make a profit hence the reason most of them are sold off to save us from wasting more and more taxpayer money.
@Johnny Mason: good point! Or get consultation from these countries to set up our own.
@Michelle Duignan: thought the same when i heard last month the schools were contract to the British build who went bust. Government contract should be give to Irish contractor, but maybe too many Irish take the piss when quoting for the job
@Michelle Duignan: yeah as Dublin Bus tendered the most competitive bid but the Dept Of Transport decided to give to a far more expensive bidder. Makes no sense but that’s the Irish solution
@Conor Sweeney: Actually of the two final bids submitted, Go-Aheads bid was almost 15% higher than that of Dublin Bus…. Their wage and conditions are lower than Dublin Bus. So their profit margins will be greater than the semi state company. Given that Dublin Bus returned money to the NTA over the last few years, the notion that this is good business by the NTA defies any logic attached to their press release. Also the routes tendered are orbital, thus avoiding traffic congestion in Dublin city centre which allows for a greater achievement of punctuality.
@Michelle Duignan: you did read the bit about the tender process right?
@Michelle Duignan: Because the Unions destroyed the state run companies, if someone farted sideways the shop stewards would down tools and kick up a fuss.
I say fair play to go ahead, maybe now we’ll get a proper service.
@Michelle Duignan: a lot of money will be leaving our shores and €172m will be coming back in every 5 years if their contract is renewed.
@Paul Linehan:
Interesting, Source?
@Paul Linehan: What were the two bids. Is there any site that shows what they were and the breakdown?
@Michelle Duignan:
“I just think it’s a pity we couldn’t invest into an Irish company. Even with government help”
Isn’t that what we’ve tried with Dublin Bus and are trying to get away from as it costs tax €s?
Don’t disagree with the sentiment but in a small open economy there’s always a balance
@Conor Sweeney: Dublin bus submitted a cheaper tender believe it or not.
@Michelle Duignan: they’re hardly going to drive a bus around dublin in england?
@Michelle Duignan: Maybe the unions will keep that in mind next time the drive a company to their knees
@Michelle Duignan: we don’t even print the RTÉ guide in Ireland .
@Matt Donovan:
Still looking for a source for that claim.
@Michelle Duignan: Mostly I agree with you but there are EU rules that mean tenders are open to companies in other member states.
@P.J. Nolan: The department of transport and the NTA can provide you with the information if you apply for same.
@Michelle Duignan: I would have thought that with Brexit looming the UK would have been excluded from taking such contracts as they will no longer be part of the EU ???????
@P.J. Nolan:
Dublin bus did not have to build a depot, train new mechanics, new drivers etc. It was never about the cost or service. Nta already decides all this. Its about having an upper hand in case of wage demands etc. All revenues goes back to the nta. Nta ownes all busses etc. Here is a extract of the tendering. Figures are not released… Just that will give you a reason to doubt the winner is fairly chosen…
Go-Ahead has been selected as the preferred bidder for the contract relating to the operation of 24 Public Service Obligation (PSO) bus routes in the Dublin metropolitan area. NTA has written to Go-Ahead to inform the company of the decision. Go-Ahead is expected to begin operating some of these routes by the end of November 2018 and all routes by February 2019.
Chief Executive of the National Transport Authority Anne Graham said:
“This is ultimately about improving bus services for Dublin and NTA is confident that passengers will benefit from this decision. We believe that a new operator in the market will bring a fresh dimension to the way that services are offered. Introducing new providers encourages everybody to focus on their customers’ needs and it encourages innovation and improvements to service quality.
“It has also been the experience internationally that introducing some level of competitive tendering into PSO services like this, usually results in a better deal for passengers and for the public in general.
“Under the provisions of the tender, not only will service levels on the routes in question be maintained, they will actually be increased by about 35%. So passengers in areas served by these routes have absolutely no reason to worry about this change. Matters such as fares, frequency and scheduling for the service will all be set by the NTA, and not the operator.
@Michelle Duignan: just to remind you we’re in the EU. The government can make no distinction between Irish and other EU companies when it puts out a contract for tender. And the British were and still are in the EU.
Unless you want us to leave too?
Any chance of listing the 24 routes they are taking over,?
I`m sure that a lot of Journal readers would love to know, seeing as they will most likely be sitting on them in the morning/evening reading your app on the way to/from work.
Here is the list, if people are interested.
The full list of routes include:
220 Ballymun to Blanchardstown
236 Blanchardstown Centre to Damastown
238 Tyrrelstown to Lady’s Well Road
239 Blanchardstown Centre to Liffey Valley Shopping Centre
270 Blanchardstown Centre to Dunboyne
17a Blanchardstown Centre to Kilbarrack
76a Blanchardstown Centre to Tallaght
18 Palmerstown to Sandymount
17 Rialto to Blackrock
33a Swords to Balbriggan
33b Swords to Portrane
75 The Square Tallaght to Dún Laoghaire
76 Chapelizod to Tallaght
102 Sutton station to Dublin Airport
04 Clontarf Road to Santry
111 Loughlinstown Park to Dún Laoghaire
45a Dún Laoghaire to Ballywaltrim
59 Dún Laoghaire to Mackintosh Park
63 Dún Laoghaire to Kilternan
114 Ticknock to Blackrock Station
161 Dundrum Luas Station to Rockbrook
184 Bray Rail station to Newtownmountkennedy
185 Bray Railstation to Enniskerry
@Pearse Mc Mullen: PS, there is only 23 on this list i posted, is all i could find.
@Pearse Mc Mullen: Lazy click bait journalism in the social media age
@Pearse Mc Mullen: the 17A haha Dublin bus done well to get that off their hands
@Pearse Mc Mullen: Those all must be complete loss making routes. Don’t think any go via the city centre.
@Pearse Mc Mullen: 104 Clontarf to DCU
@Pearse Mc Mullen: there’s a new 175 route starting that’s your 24th route. Could be mistaken with the number but there is a new route as part of the contract.
@Pearse Mc Mullen: new route 175 as well from tallaght to ucd
We give it away so easily. We must still have an inferiority complex about ourselves. The building of new schools, to an English Company that went Bust , running the Luas to a Multinational French company , and now the first move to privatize Dublin Bus. I was sent on Fire Safety course run by the HSE I was gobsmacked to find out the course was given by Essex Fire Department , same thing happened with a security course, it was an American course, half of which was irrelevant to us here. They are only the ones I know of… I’m sure there are many other where we handed over money to foreign companies unnecessarily, or are we unable to manage anything, which I do not believe for one minute.
@Terry Cahill: Isn’t it amazing how we cant do anything right in this little country. Our government is pretty much run by British consultancy firms and almost all of our service providers these days are British. We are utterly incapable of managing anything, a banana republic pretending to the world we are competent
@Terry Cahill:
How do u know the contract was awarded ‘easily’
@Terry Cahill: I want to correct an error in my post. The fire safety course was NOT arranged by the HSE. It was arranged by a private company. The security course WAS run by the HSE. My apologies for the fake news !
@Terry Cahill: Welcome to the EUssr…
@Dean Kelly: a banana republic with all the bananas kept by the big fat hungry greedy corrupt thick as s#!t animals that run the banana republic
@P.J. Nolan: Dublin bus had the cheaper bid nta wants privitisation go ahead also given Kildare routes from bus eireann
@Terry Cahill: the hse community health centres being
Built by a British company
Any chance they can do the same thing with the HSE ?
@Jeremy DeChad: We couldn’t give it away, bai…
@Jeremy DeChad: wouldnt change much just the managers
@Jeremy DeChad: how about doing the same for the running of the country. Couldn’t be any worse than the gombeens we have at the moment
@Kevin Moylan: Hah, that would be funny. A tendering process for foreign politicians to group together and run our Dail. Why not ;-)
@Kevin Moylan: We has the British here and we threw them out. They gave us most of our recent heritage including their language thank god for that one….
@Gareth Cooney: Go back four generations and Ireland had widespread malnutrition, TB, slums, poverty, economic conscription… hardly a commonwealth utopia.
@Fiona Fitzgerald: Sure we still have most of them and there nearly 100 years gone.
We wouldn’t have a decent building or castle if it weren’t for the Anglo Norman and the British. They even gave us the spud and turnip and the Guinness nearly everything.
They can’t possibly do any worse than Dublin bus anyway!
@Dotty Dunleary: I don’t use it to commute but I sometimes use it if I’m heading out for a drink. I find it excellent since the live information came in.
@Greg Mumble: Live information is relatively accurate. The issue is that it’s based on when the bus left a previous stop and calculated but heavy traffic isn’t taken in to account.
There are a few spots in particular where the info is way off. Blanchardstown village for instance, if you are waiting for a 38 going in to town, it’s always wrong because the bus gets stuck on the flyover from the Snugborough road. If it misses one set of lights then it could be 10 minutes over the displayed live time. In contrast, the 37 which comes down a different road is usually on time according to live view.
The system is not perfect, no system is but it’s a hell of a lot better than it was before we have live tracking.
@Reuben Gray: I usually get the dart but due to a strike about “past productivity” or some other nonsense I had to get the bus. Notification displayed “Due in 5 minutes, Due in 4, 3 , 2, 1 , Due now.. then.. NO BUS. Back to Due in 15.. 14 etc. Then 3 arrived at the same time! Complete Joke. I welcome any change. Can’t be much worse.
@Reuben Gray: This is utter codswallop. Busses regularly disappear/reappear as they are “curtailed” to use Dublin Bus speak. (Which means the bus started or finished half way along the route).
Other times the same busses will consistently not run due to “operational issues” – whatever that means.
They can’t even get the times right at the very first stop outside depots – There’s not an evening goes by where Ringsend depot busses run as per the RTI at the first stop which is right across the road from the depot! If they can’t even get it right at the first stop, what hope for the rest of the passengers waiting further down the route?
Dublin Bus are an utter shambles of a company; they have the best paid bus drivers in Europe who treat customers as an inconvenience, and yet the service is also one of the worst in Europe for timekeeping and reliability of service. Privatisation can’t come quickly enough for their cossetted arses.
Delighted to see competition. Keep the hypocrites in union in check.
The Leo sell out continues,what bet the School Transport Service Willie next?
@William Bryan: It saves the country money…can use it t fund homes for social needs.
@Darren Norris: you wish, blood bikes transport blood products that were brought by taxi companies, did the money saved go to the Ambulance service, don’t think so
@Darren Norris: how does it save the country money. Dublin bus bid was cheaper educate yourself fool
@Anthony Whelan:
Source?
@P.J. Nolan: public knowledge all tendering is
Why can’t Dublin do it themself? Why get a foreign company? Profits and jobs should remain in Ireland. If you don’t know how…. ask! Our city council in Mainz / Germany has helped many citys abroad in setting up bus and tram services.
@Johannes Baader: What profits? DCB is a loss making entity propped up annually by taxpayers money.
@Gareth Cooney: This is Fake news, Dublin Bus has turned a profit the last few years despite its government funding being significantly cut. Do some research before you talk nonsense infact CIE had record profits last year
@Sean O Reilly: Who do you think makes the Buses that DB use, they are made in Guildford Surrey (or as you like to class the British as Foreigner’s).
This new Company provides even on a Sunday on the 111 & 59 Route two Buses on a Sunday, whence when DB was running it just one per Hour, and it is now the year 2019 so 1 Bus per hour is not on! I does not matter where these buses are made, even if you think so,just leave the silly Politics out.RIP!
Privatising public services Thatcherite style should made a crime. Britain have one of the highest travel costs in Europe and still are part funded by the tax payer to the tune of billions. Before privatisation of our electricity network we had some of the cheapest bills in Europe. Now we are 3rd highest. Don’t see them selling off RTE which is deemed more important than buses hospitals post office etc..
@Stephen Walsh: Yes, and privatizing Aerlingus has caused a huge surge in Flight costs? My father paid 200 punts in the mid eighties for flights to work in London. I welcome any changes to the current joke.
@Bewarethebeardz: Air travel is not a public service..
@Stephen Walsh: You are correct Stephen but there are too many Thatcherites in this country to ever agree with the figures. Privatisations in the UK have been a disaster for the consumer, rail, bus, gas, electric, water all have resulted in higher charges to the end users and most with worse service. Why we continually follow the UK example is beyond me. If we want a functional, economic and successful public transport system why dont we try copy the best. Have you ever used public transport in Germany? Amazing. Problem is there aint much privatisation going on so it would not fit the right wing supporters in this country most of whome probably dont rely on public transport anyway. One other thing, with Ireland set to miss its emissions targets again and again the EU fines will start to build. Would it not make sense to invest this money into a functioning Public Transport system to entice people from the cars?
I wish Matthews had of won the Tender, they provide the best Bus service I’ve seen in this country, always on time, coaches are spotless and cheaper then BE, DB & IE
Won’t brexit have an effect on these British companies operating within the European union, why has the NTA picked a company that will be outside of the union?
@Paddy:
With or without Brexit they are still required to establish an Irish entity for its operation for tax purposes
Sad that bus services are being sold out to UK operators. Aircoach going to First, another example, though First in UK took over the USA Grehound, so they are mega big now. Surprised they did not get Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann. In the end if they serve us well, we take it.
@WoodlandBard:
The services are not sold. The management of the services has been awarded to a third party for a finite period of time.
@WoodlandBard: Privatisation Irish style, socialism for corporations. As with infrastructure PPP’s heads they win, tails the taxpayer loses. We shouldn’t fret about loses our public services permanently, when it goes belly up we’ll get it back like with Carrillion.
The Tory boys continue the sell off…..
“…meaning no routes would be cancelled or hiked up in price (well, not without State approval).
Wow…I feel so much better! Before finding out that the State would have to give their approval before cancelling routes or hiking up prices, I got worried.
Oh wait…nevermind.
Incompetent gov full of incompetent politicians who can’t manage anything thus selling off as much public services so private companies can make money off it. That’s what we get when we elect teachers and publicans to do jobs that are essentially a couple of levels above them. And because they can’t manage anything, they can’t find any other way to generate money other than taxing people, thus being highly inefficient and wasteful while at the same time demanding yearly pay rises because they’re somehow entitled to them. It’s madness!
@Adrian:
Firstly the bus routes have not been sold off, it is just the management of them which is being outsourced to a 3rd Party. Surely this shows the government is doing its job properly (in this case) by looking at all ways to gain efficiencies and also reducing capital expenditure. Why waste money with Dublin Bus when someone else can do it better
@Nick Allen: Please explain what efficiencies will be improved and what capital expenditure will be reduced. Dublin Bus currently operates their fleet at an average cost of €110000 per vehicle, per year (driver, maintenance, fuel and administration)…. Go-Ahead will be paid an average of €128000 per vehicle, per year and have lower wage costs for driver, maintenance workers and administration staff. The only thing that will improve is the profits for the company which will be taken out of the state.
What is your gripe with Dublin Bus
I use their services all the time and have encountered no issue
You should research the bus service in the UK and find out how displeased the British Public are with privatisation of the bus service
Hope the buses are wheelchair accessible
@Martin Sinnott: it’s existing DB stock so yes
Fair enough. They won the tender fair and square. Competition is good. Seems they may have to provide their own depots which might mean jobs
What is interesting in the list, kindly provided by a reader, is that there routes are not cross city but link services, suburb to suburb.
Under the current system Dublin Bus provide route and link information on their web site as well a live data…. I assume that we (and visitors) will NOT have to look up on various sites how to get from DunLaoghaire to Rathmines or Santry to Blanchardstown and look up various timetables… that would be a step backwards.
I assume that they will all stop at the same stops when routes overlap and that wheelchair access will work across providers, as well as tickets, etc.
There is a lot wrong with the bus system in Dublin and introducing a new operator will not solve them. Are the routes the best for example. I ask this as I look that the Bus service to St Vincent’s Hospital from it’s catchment area. Is there a reasonable expectation that timetables will work. Try guessing the arrival time of the 75 at 10 pm at Nutgrove or the 17 at 8:30 on a busy school morning… unless and until “stage” departing times are also included in a timetable it will remain guess work as to when the bus (and group of buses) will arrive.
One could go on – but I think the NTA need to listen to the people who use the service and their complaints. Only where an efficient, reliable and value for money service is being provided will the complaints stop or be understood.
Driving a bus around Dublin must be a nightmare from what I see, bus space shared with cyclists, cars using bus lanes, cars not letting buses pull out from stops, traffic lights and 1001 other stressful things – I wish the new company and employees the best of luck and hope that the new departure will not see jobs lost.
Wonder how much of the value of 172 million is in cash payments, subsidies and establishing infrastructure and would the money be better spent improving Dublin Bus instead of improving buses in Dublin. It is also interesting that following Brexit we will have a NON EU company competing with and EU company – same applies to all those UK registered companies operating state contracts here…
Just can’t wait to see how they deal with the drunks and coke heads at 3 am.
Also have plenty of mops and disinfectant ready.
I’m sure the Gardai are jumping for joy at this news!!!
@Gerry Fallon:
How will it impact the Gardai any differently than today?
@Nick Allen: by dealing with stuff they really should NOT have to deal with.added pressure on them Nick.ok ,Just wait and see the problems this is going to raise.
@Gerry Fallon: What bus service runs at 3am, other than the Nightlink that has nothing to do with the new company’s routes?? Are you drunk or coked out of it??
In the long-term we the tax payer will pay more by the increase in fares on these private routes (after a few years when they get the majority of routes,), plus less helpful low paid staff, and more money for the government to fill their pockets, on our taxes, time to stand up people!
@Ray Drumgoole: The NTA will be setting the fare on all route, DB and GA. Same as they were when it was just DB. If you don’t understand how it works its probably best not to post waffle as fact.
Ironically Dublin bus had tendered to keep operating those routes which the NTA said had over 98 per cent compliance with their targets and the bid was 3 per cent lower than the U.K. company but government still award the contract to uk. Then NTA give the uk company the busses taken from Dublin bus sure what company wouldn’t be chomping at the bit to land a contract to operate the routes with only start up costs being recruitment of low wage workers but buyer beware this company have been thrown out of several rail and bus company contracts in the uk because they fail miserably the compliance tests. So the tax payer is paying 3 per cent more for a service that Dublin bus provided with hi 98 per cent compliance and they say it’s not privatisation the mind boggles happy Friday
@Sean taoiseach: Got a legitimate source that shows how much each company bid?? There is a lot of chinese whispers about DB being cheaper, but zero actual evidence.
@Weldoninhio: https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/blow-for-dublin-bus-as-uk-firm-wins-contract-for-24-routes-in-capital-36021211.html
There are a few miss understandings here. The tender was not about who was the lowest bidder. (Dublin Bus was) its about Nta believing that competition will benefit the public… That makes no sense what so ever as the nta sets all criteria regarding service. They set the timetable, fares, operating hours, they own the busses, they decide what type of busses they buy etc. Dublin Bus was the lowest bidder as they don’t have to build/ rent a depot etc. This is about having a threat over both companies regarding strike etc… Nta can just take busses and give them to the other company to operate in turbulent times…. It’s basically about undermining each other and a race to the bottom. I operate one of the affected routes, and we have just been forced to cut the amount of daily departures ahead of the go ahead takeover… Here is a extract from the Nta website. Read what you will out of this..
Go-Ahead has been selected as the preferred bidder for the contract relating to the operation of 24 Public Service Obligation (PSO) bus routes in the Dublin metropolitan area. NTA has written to Go-Ahead to inform the company of the decision. Go-Ahead is expected to begin operating some of these routes by the end of November 2018 and all routes by February 2019.
Chief Executive of the National Transport Authority Anne Graham said:
“This is ultimately about improving bus services for Dublin and NTA is confident that passengers will benefit from this decision. We believe that a new operator in the market will bring a fresh dimension to the way that services are offered. Introducing new providers encourages everybody to focus on their customers’ needs and it encourages innovation and improvements to service quality.
“It has also been the experience internationally that introducing some level of competitive tendering into PSO services like this, usually results in a better deal for passengers and for the public in general.
“Under the provisions of the tender, not only will service levels on the routes in question be maintained, they will actually be increased by about 35%. So passengers in areas served by these routes have absolutely no reason to worry about this change. Matters such as fares, frequency and scheduling for the service will all be set by the NTA, and not the operator.
pucker up boys and girls i wonder if the NTA asked any of go ahead current staff driving how well the company treats their staff ,from meal breaks as short as 51 mins over a near 11 hour day too having to cross your legs on an 5.5 hours turn ,will they try and import drivers from our ranks my garage is currently 15/18 drivers over staffed, (but would any dublin bus drivers jump ship and lose all their benefits ???) ,but the rate of pay in dublin is far higher but the costs of living in dublin is a killer , and as a footnote to all this go ahead is one of the better higher paying employers in the industry over here in the uk ,
Delighted. The CIE Unions running public transport for them and not the commuters are over.
Look at the LUAS. Private run and is nearly carrying the same numbers of passengers as the entire Irish Rail network. Dublin commuters love it. While ‘deh unions’ at DART won’t run 10 mins trains until they get a kickback from the taxpayers.
Best news ever.
But Britain is no in the eurozone
@Declan Kidd: When did it leave??
have your say