DUBLIN BUS is being urged to organise its services to allow greater access to the Dublin Mountains as part of a new initiative to improve the recreation potential of public lands there.
Minister for Natural Resources Eamon Ryan said he would be asking the company to explore the issue as part of the Dublin Mountains Partnership, which he officially launched in Tibradden Woods yesterday.
The Dublin Mountains Partnership involves Coillte, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, the Dublin Mountains Initiative, the National Parks and Wildlife Service and South County Dublin County Council.
One of its first initiatives, the Minister said, was to establish a walking trail from Tallaght to Dún Laoghaire over the mountains. This trail was under construction, he said.
"I would like to see public transport linking into this so people could have more access to the mountains which are one of the greatest treasures of our city," he added.
"It would be wonderful to be able to get a bus into the mountains at Tallaght and be able to get one back from Dún Laoghaire at the end of a good day's walking."
The Minister said no other capital city he had ever lived in had a wonderful bay on one side and yet, within 30 minutes, one could be in the mountains.
Under a 10-year action plan, the partnership will develop access routes, new trails, signage, a website and a recreational user's maps of the area.
The partnership will also be bringing forward a recruitment campaign to develop a volunteer ranger scheme to support the work of the partnership and to have an "on the ground" presence especially at the weekends.
A recreation manager has also been appointed by the partnership which will be supporting a "leave no trace" programme to promote responsible behaviour by visitors.
More information is available at www.dublinmountains.ie
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Showing posts with label dublin bus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dublin bus. Show all posts
Saturday, 25 October 2008
Sunday, 10 February 2008
Millions spent but better bus service fails to woo public
DESPITE spending hundreds of millions of euro on quality bus corridors and a new fleet over the last ten years, the number of journeys to work and school by bus increased by just 3,000 during the same period.
Figures released by the Department of Transport last week reveal the number of journeys to work and school made by bus or coach in the greater Dublin area between 1996 and 2006 increased by just two per cent.
Some 156,161 trips to work or to school per day in the Dublin region were taken by bus in 1996. By 2006 the number of these trips had increased to just 159,233.
Dublin Bus has invested millions of euros in a new fleet, and in quality bus corridors, launched new routes and extended many others as well as making its buses more accessible and attractive.
However, the latest figures available from the Central Statistics Office, show that in Dublin during 2006 almost half the population drove to work while just 14 per cent of commuters took the bus.
The Dublin Transportation Office spent €202m on bus corridors and a quality bus network (QBN) in the greater Dublin area between 1993 and 2007 inclusive. Another €55m was spent upgrading the wider network up to the end of last year.
"Bus patronage increases should be considered in the context of overall growth in travel in the last decade, which was an increase of 33 per cent," said a spokesperson for the Dublin Transportation Office.
"Although investment has been made in improving the reliability and consistency of journey times by bus, more remains to be done in terms of improving the overall experience of travelling by bus, and this will undoubtedly require further investment."
Under the Transport 21 plan, Dublin Bus was given the target of increasing passenger-carrying capacity by 60 per cent by 2015, through new and replacement bus acquisition. The plan also set out details for the doubling of the number of quality bus corridors.
"Regarding passenger trends, it would be more reasonable to look at our overall trend in passengers carried," said a spokesperson for Dublin Bus. "Numbers have increased from 134 million in 1998 to 148 million in 2007.
"This growth has been achieved against a background of substantial increase in rail and Luas capacity. We estimate that more than 10 million customers per annum have transferred to these modes of transport."
The figures from the Department of Transport also show that commuter trips by train have more than doubled in the last ten years.
The increase of 115.5 per cent in train trips includes journeys on the Dart and Luas and the increase was significantly buoyed by the arrival of the Luas in 2004.
At the same time the number of journeys to work and to school made by car increased by some 69 per cent in the region over the same period, while trips by vans or lorries increased by 110 per cent.
The figures also suggest that cyclists in the Dublin area are becoming a dying breed as bicycle journeys to work or school have declined by 25 per cent in the last ten years. Walking trips only increased by some 7.8 per cent.
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Figures released by the Department of Transport last week reveal the number of journeys to work and school made by bus or coach in the greater Dublin area between 1996 and 2006 increased by just two per cent.
Some 156,161 trips to work or to school per day in the Dublin region were taken by bus in 1996. By 2006 the number of these trips had increased to just 159,233.
Dublin Bus has invested millions of euros in a new fleet, and in quality bus corridors, launched new routes and extended many others as well as making its buses more accessible and attractive.
However, the latest figures available from the Central Statistics Office, show that in Dublin during 2006 almost half the population drove to work while just 14 per cent of commuters took the bus.
The Dublin Transportation Office spent €202m on bus corridors and a quality bus network (QBN) in the greater Dublin area between 1993 and 2007 inclusive. Another €55m was spent upgrading the wider network up to the end of last year.
"Bus patronage increases should be considered in the context of overall growth in travel in the last decade, which was an increase of 33 per cent," said a spokesperson for the Dublin Transportation Office.
"Although investment has been made in improving the reliability and consistency of journey times by bus, more remains to be done in terms of improving the overall experience of travelling by bus, and this will undoubtedly require further investment."
Under the Transport 21 plan, Dublin Bus was given the target of increasing passenger-carrying capacity by 60 per cent by 2015, through new and replacement bus acquisition. The plan also set out details for the doubling of the number of quality bus corridors.
"Regarding passenger trends, it would be more reasonable to look at our overall trend in passengers carried," said a spokesperson for Dublin Bus. "Numbers have increased from 134 million in 1998 to 148 million in 2007.
"This growth has been achieved against a background of substantial increase in rail and Luas capacity. We estimate that more than 10 million customers per annum have transferred to these modes of transport."
The figures from the Department of Transport also show that commuter trips by train have more than doubled in the last ten years.
The increase of 115.5 per cent in train trips includes journeys on the Dart and Luas and the increase was significantly buoyed by the arrival of the Luas in 2004.
At the same time the number of journeys to work and to school made by car increased by some 69 per cent in the region over the same period, while trips by vans or lorries increased by 110 per cent.
The figures also suggest that cyclists in the Dublin area are becoming a dying breed as bicycle journeys to work or school have declined by 25 per cent in the last ten years. Walking trips only increased by some 7.8 per cent.
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Monday, 7 January 2008
Dublin Bus to be told to axe routes due to Luas double-up
The Government is poised to tell Dublin Bus it needs to "redeploy" some of its fleet after passengers have deserted the service in favour of the Luas.
Moving the bus routes is potentially the most controversial of nine issues the Department of Transport will "take up with" CIE in the coming weeks.
The bus company has lost millions of passengers since the introduction of the light rail system.
The issue is on a list, drawn up after a group of consultants examined whether the Government got "value for money" for the massive subsidies it pays to the CIE group.
Consultants Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) found that the €1.2bn in subventions, given to CIE between 2001 and 2005, largely represented value for money.
But BAH also expressed concern about several issues, including the fall-off in Dublin Bus passenger numbers following the introduction of the Luas, Dublin Bus's ability to fund its future needs, and cost levels across all three state transport companies.
Efficiency
The Government has now vowed to "take up" a list of specific issues with CIE, including the need to redeploy the bus fleet away from Luas lines, the level of subcontractor costs at Bus Eireann and the impact of bus garage locations on the efficiency of services.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Transport told the Irish Independent the issues "will all be formally taken up with CIE by the Department within weeks".
The Government's bid to secure value for money came as consumers were faced with a raft of price hikes on public transport this week.
The consultants found Dublin Bus had received almost €291m in government subventions over the five years, plus €79.64m in capital grants and €1.46m in EU money.
The bus company's performance over the period was constrained, however, by a increased congestion that hampered bus speeds and a lack of capital funding for fleet expansion, the consultants said.
Meanwhile, the introduction of the Luas also posed serious challenges for Dublin Bus, prompting annual patronage to fall three million (to 146 million) in 2005.
"By the end of the period, the annual operating surplus had not increase significantly," the consultants noted.
Funds
"Consequently, there is a concern as to whether Dublin Bus is accumulating sufficient funds for its future needs, the most urgent of which is fleet renewal and expansion."
A spokeswoman for Dublin Bus said the company knew the Luas was just one of the factors influencing fleet deployment.
"Dublin Bus passenger numbers have grown once again since 2005, and the company remains, by far, the largest public transport provider in the Dublin area," she added.
Private operators are working towards a 15pc share of the Dublin bus market, after a 2006 agreement gave private services access to all new routes until this threshold is reached.
By autumn 2007, however, just five private operators (Mortons, Aircoach, Executive Express, Dualway and Eirebus) were running Dublin Bus-style services in the Dublin area.
Laura Noonan
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Moving the bus routes is potentially the most controversial of nine issues the Department of Transport will "take up with" CIE in the coming weeks.
The bus company has lost millions of passengers since the introduction of the light rail system.
The issue is on a list, drawn up after a group of consultants examined whether the Government got "value for money" for the massive subsidies it pays to the CIE group.
Consultants Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) found that the €1.2bn in subventions, given to CIE between 2001 and 2005, largely represented value for money.
But BAH also expressed concern about several issues, including the fall-off in Dublin Bus passenger numbers following the introduction of the Luas, Dublin Bus's ability to fund its future needs, and cost levels across all three state transport companies.
Efficiency
The Government has now vowed to "take up" a list of specific issues with CIE, including the need to redeploy the bus fleet away from Luas lines, the level of subcontractor costs at Bus Eireann and the impact of bus garage locations on the efficiency of services.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Transport told the Irish Independent the issues "will all be formally taken up with CIE by the Department within weeks".
The Government's bid to secure value for money came as consumers were faced with a raft of price hikes on public transport this week.
The consultants found Dublin Bus had received almost €291m in government subventions over the five years, plus €79.64m in capital grants and €1.46m in EU money.
The bus company's performance over the period was constrained, however, by a increased congestion that hampered bus speeds and a lack of capital funding for fleet expansion, the consultants said.
Meanwhile, the introduction of the Luas also posed serious challenges for Dublin Bus, prompting annual patronage to fall three million (to 146 million) in 2005.
"By the end of the period, the annual operating surplus had not increase significantly," the consultants noted.
Funds
"Consequently, there is a concern as to whether Dublin Bus is accumulating sufficient funds for its future needs, the most urgent of which is fleet renewal and expansion."
A spokeswoman for Dublin Bus said the company knew the Luas was just one of the factors influencing fleet deployment.
"Dublin Bus passenger numbers have grown once again since 2005, and the company remains, by far, the largest public transport provider in the Dublin area," she added.
Private operators are working towards a 15pc share of the Dublin bus market, after a 2006 agreement gave private services access to all new routes until this threshold is reached.
By autumn 2007, however, just five private operators (Mortons, Aircoach, Executive Express, Dualway and Eirebus) were running Dublin Bus-style services in the Dublin area.
Laura Noonan
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Tuesday, 1 January 2008
Dublin Bus plans for 420,000 new customers
Dublin Bus is expecting 420,000 more passenger journeys next year following the introduction of new quality bus corridors last month.
Dublin Bus estimates that it carried an additional 5,000 passenger journeys a week on quality bus corridors (QBCs) introduced last year, and that figure is expected to rise to around 8,000 extra journeys a week in 2008 - an increase overall of 6.5 per cent in passenger numbers.
Dublin Bus has benefited from significant new priority lanes, especially along the quays, Pearse Street and the South Clondalkin Road.
Research carried out by Dublin Bus has revealed that since the introduction of a QBC from Adamstown to the International Financial Services Centre, 31 per cent of users, who have a car, chose to take that bus route instead.
A total of 43 per cent of commuters on the 145 route between Bray and the city centre could have used a car for the same journey.
Dublin Bus has just unveiled 50 new replacement buses which will have a carrying capacity 25 per cent bigger than at present.
It is part of the company's fleet replacement programme under the terms of Transport 21.
They will be introduced on the Blanchardstown QBC and will increase its capacity by 21 per cent.
The triaxle buses were first introduced on Dublin Bus in 2005 and reduce CO2 emissions by 10 per cent on previous models.
There will also be significant decreases in hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides. The buses will also be more wheelchair and pushchair friendly.
Dublin Bus spokeswoman Clíodhna Ní Fhátharta said: "It shows that a relatively modest investment in bus priority and fleet investment can result in generating additional customers, thus leading to less car traffic and congestion.
"This is particularly important in the context of improving traffic congestion and reducing environmental emissions."
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Dublin Bus estimates that it carried an additional 5,000 passenger journeys a week on quality bus corridors (QBCs) introduced last year, and that figure is expected to rise to around 8,000 extra journeys a week in 2008 - an increase overall of 6.5 per cent in passenger numbers.
Dublin Bus has benefited from significant new priority lanes, especially along the quays, Pearse Street and the South Clondalkin Road.
Research carried out by Dublin Bus has revealed that since the introduction of a QBC from Adamstown to the International Financial Services Centre, 31 per cent of users, who have a car, chose to take that bus route instead.
A total of 43 per cent of commuters on the 145 route between Bray and the city centre could have used a car for the same journey.
Dublin Bus has just unveiled 50 new replacement buses which will have a carrying capacity 25 per cent bigger than at present.
It is part of the company's fleet replacement programme under the terms of Transport 21.
They will be introduced on the Blanchardstown QBC and will increase its capacity by 21 per cent.
The triaxle buses were first introduced on Dublin Bus in 2005 and reduce CO2 emissions by 10 per cent on previous models.
There will also be significant decreases in hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides. The buses will also be more wheelchair and pushchair friendly.
Dublin Bus spokeswoman Clíodhna Ní Fhátharta said: "It shows that a relatively modest investment in bus priority and fleet investment can result in generating additional customers, thus leading to less car traffic and congestion.
"This is particularly important in the context of improving traffic congestion and reducing environmental emissions."
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
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