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TRAVEL DEMAND DURING Phase One easing of restrictions has been higher than expected, the National Transport Authority (NTA) will tell the Dáil Covid-19 committee today.
Anne Graham, Chief Executive Officer of the (NTA), will tell the committee this afternoon that the NTA believes there is a large percentage of non-essential travel being made on public transport which is using up the capacity that it had planned for Phase Two of the government’s roadmap.
On 8 June, normal Monday-Friday timetables for commuters on bus and DART are due to recommence, the committee will be told.
Since the outset of the pandemic, daily demand is now typically between 10% and 20% of what it was prior to mid-March, Graham states in her opening statement.
Weekly demand in early March (prior to pandemic related restrictions) was approximately 5.6 million passengers. By mid-April this had declined to 500,000 passengers.
An increase in passenger numbers has been apparent in recent weeks, increasing from 500,000 weekly passengers in mid-April to approximately 700,000 in mid-May prior to the easing of restrictions
“There is no doubt that there needs to be a radical shift in the use of active travel modes over the next few months in our towns and cities,” Graham will state, citing a recent mobility plan for Dublin, which shows that there is a need to plan for a doubling of walking and a trebling of cycling journeys at peak time.
Public transport capacity with social distancing “will be significantly challenged” without a number of other supporting measures, Graham will tell the committee.
Such measures include encouraging organisations to continue to facilitate working from home, remote learning, online shopping and online appointments where possible.
The use of public transport will continue to be discouraged at peak times except for essential travel and businesses will be encouraged to have staggered start times and operate longer opening hours to spread demand out of peak times.
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I don’t think they have this right. Capacity on buses is down to 1/3 due to social distancing, and rightly so.
However, buses from commuter towns are less frequent, meaning if 17 people get on a bus in Kilcock, there’s no room on the bus for people at Maynooth, and the frequency of the buses are a lot less.
There needs to be more buses from rural areas first thing in the morning, exactly 3 or 4 times they would usually have.
The effect really is that there is not enough buses, people take their cars instead, and as a result the traffic going into Dublin is much higher.
If there were more buses from rural areas and commuter towns, it would have the effect of less cars on the road as a result.
Similarly, at end of work days, the bus numbers need to be increased.
I don’t have exact figures, I just know there are not enough buses from where I am in the morning to make it effective to use, as such, I’m driving into the City Centre each morning instead of using a bus service.
@Eugene Tyson: You would fill a 66 Dublin bus at one Maynooth stop alone now these days never mind any other stops along the route. Maynooth has always had pretty decent public transport thanks to the College and being close to Intel but now once small places like Kilcock have ballooned in population size and require decent public transport to suit. These places had massive estates built in them in the first place with motorways and transport to Dublin in mind for work and yet all you hear is ban cars and make Dublin for walking and cycling only. Tens of thousands of people live in commuter towns in Meath Kildare Wicklow and Louth and cannot cycle unless your training for Iron man.
Dublin Bus used to serve Kilcock but they took it away and Bus Eireann is not capable of giving a reliable service so it needs to return. The Maynooth train line needs to be rapidly expanded to become a proper Dart line and massive park and ride facilities need to be designed and installed in these areas or Dublin will simply never be free of its massive traffic problems.
@Ashley Rowland: I agree completely. There just isnt enough public transport from commuter towns and “sub-commuter” towns. There needs to be hubs of public transport park and ride facilities dotted throughout the commuter towns and belts to encourage people not to take cars to City.
Are we still pretending these phases are happening? The lockdown is optional now. I’m finished with it on a personal level and will be happy to support any local businesses that also realise the absurdity of this situation and reopen. If any pubs choose to reopen I will travel the length and breadth of the island to support you fully!
@Gordon Comstock: good for you Gordon. Are you looking for validation repeating your position on numerous articles. Dont. Do what ya gotta do.
@Gordon Comstock: clown
@Gordon Comstock: folks don’t mind the likes of this eejit. He represents 2 to 5% of the population. Most are adhering to the guidelines and most will continue to do so. It seems that those most willing to ignore social distancing are those with the least to distance from.
If there is a huge demand on Public Transport then Social Distancing will not work.
I hear Prat Kenny pushing for wearing of masks on public transport, A dangerous agent of the state.
@Dave Nomates: He probably makes his driver wear one
@Dave Nomates: I hear Prof Luke O’Neill saying the same. From a scientific point of view. They reduce the spread, its simple enough stuff.
@NotMyIreland:
Well your Professor Buddy should read the side of a box of masks,
I Quote.
THIS PRODUCT IS AN EAR LOOP MASK.
IT IS NOT A RESPIRATOR AND WILL NOT PROVIDE PROTECTION AGAINST COVID-19 (CORONA VIRUS) OR OTHER VIRUSES OR CONTAMINANTS. You the Professor and Prat Kenny need to stop with the BS.
@Dave Nomates: They’re to stop people from spreading it through coughing/sneezing, not to protect people from getting it. You look silly.
@Kem Trayle:
Ya what.
@Dave Nomates: So a legal warning on box over rules the advice of world renowned immunologist?
Not one is claiming a cloth mask will protect 100%. Thats why you see frontline staff in full hazmat gear.
@Dave Nomates: That’s right, it has always been said that the mask won’t stop you contracting the virus. But you could be a carrier and not know it, as it can take between 4 days and 2 weeks to incubate – and during that time you are in contact with many people. Wearing a mask that is tight fitting around the mouth, nose, chin, will help slow the spread of the virus.
As there is no cure – all we can do is try to slow it. Wearing a mask is one of the ways we can all help.
There is a major problem with public transport… the more people use buses etc, the more impossible distancing will be… Masks then become more critical…. but can only be effective if of suitable quality and worn by everyone…. on both counts we are failing miserably…. this I suspect will be our undoing.
the NTA is an incompetent and useless waste of taxpayers money. they have absolutely no idea how to operate or run a transport company, should be disbanded immediately.
I suppose Pres Ttump will get the blame for this
@Maurice O Neill: awww go back to bed with your cousin/sister or whatever relative you trump lot like and get some much needed comfort off them
First time back in Dublin today in work for a few hours. Walked past the Dublin bus going out to Portmarnock I counted 40 people on top of each other in queue for the bus. I know it was a savage day but I wouldn’t have fancied being on that bus heading out to the beach.
Very difficult to get to work now in the mornings, took me 1 hour to get a bus this morning, as we’re all full.
People should be required to show work ids/letters during peak times, as it’s not fair on essential workers when they can’t get a seat
The NTA get something wrong. Its news but nothing new. The get most things wrong, buying vehicles 2 bought both wheelchair unfriendly, livery it disappears in the dark and it carries on regardless
Have you seen the latest brainwave from them.
Close College Green which is a failed plan they had, run buses in the wrong places and have large areas of the city with no bus service at all.
Get people walking cycling great if you can walk or cycle.
Screwed if you canny
NTA and Dept of Transport have be silent throughout this Pandemic, not once have either one spoke to or advised public transport operators. Giving misleading information to Dail committees on fiqures and social distancing.
No inspectors on the streets managing the crowds attempts to board buses and trains /tram.
Pushing drivers to enforce the loading of passengers and increasing the risk of contracting.
Next time you see a bus overcrowded, remember Ann Graham NTA spoke on radio stating its a guide and not mandatory to use restricted seating on public transport.
have your say