Bus network undergoes major changes

DUBLIN BUS yesterday announced its reorganised bus routes and timetables.

Changes to routes and services will be introduced in five phases from July.

They will take place at two to three-month intervals and will focus on areas as opposed to single routes. The first areas to be affected will be Stillorgan, Blanchardstown and Lucan.

From the outset, however, the effects will be felt over the entire network.

Changes in the Stillorgan area will affect the 39a, 46a, 47, 63, 84, 145 and 746. Two core routes, the 46a and 145 will have frequencies of 10 minutes or better.

The company said the 145 will offer a high-frequency connection to Heuston Station.

The 46A will offer a high-frequency connection to the northeast of the city serving the Mater hospital and Phoenix Park.

The 47 will travel from Sandyford to the city centre via Ballsbridge.

Some services have been made more direct. These include the 46A, which will take the Kill Avenue/Kill Lane QBC through Deansgrange with journey time savings of approximately 10 minutes to Dún Laoghaire, Stillorgan, Donnybrook and the city centre.

The 145 is to operate through Bray main street offering a time saving of approximately 10 minutes, according to the company.

Some of the changes are extensive and the 84 – excluding express services – will no longer go from Newcastle to Dublin city centre but will run between Newcastle and Cherrywood, where it is intended to link in with the Luas.

However, the Luas line is not due to open until the end of the year.

The service to and from Bray and Greystones Dart stations will also be improved.

In the Lucan/north Kildare area the changes will affect the 25, 25a, 25b, 26, 66, 66a, 66b and 67. Two core routes, the 25a, and 25b will have peak frequencies of 10 minutes or better. The proposed 25a and 25b will replace the 25x service.

The 25a will follow its current route to Palmerstown and then operate via Chapelizod bypass to Wilton Terrace and Leeson Street.

The 25b will follow the current 25x route from Adamstown via Griffeen using the Chapelizod bypass to Wilton Terrace. The 25x from Dodsboro will remain the same.

In the Blanchardstown area there will be changes to the 17a, 37, 38, 38a, 39, 39a, 70, 270 and 236.

Phase two will involve Ballymun, Finglas and Clontarf.

Phase three will involve Tallaght, Templeogue, and Malahide

Phase four will include Glasnevin, Drimnagh, Ranelagh, and Swords, while phase five involves Merrion Road and Howth Road.

Details of phase one are available on the Dublin Bus website www.dublinbus.ie