FG criticises plan for new bus lane

A €20 MILLION bus lane completed this week in south Dublin is to operate with only two buses daily to the city centre, the Fine Gael spokeswoman on transport has said.

The 3km-long quality bus corridor (QBC) on Taylor's Lane in Rathfarnham will be used by the 116 bus from Ballinteer to Parnell Square, which makes only two trips each way on weekdays and none on weekends, according to Olivia Mitchell, who is a Fine Gael TD for Dublin South.

A spokeswoman for Dublin Bus said a second bus route - the 161 servicing Nutgrove Shopping Centre - would use the QBC. The 15B and 16 would also "benefit" from the bus lane. "In addition to this, the Taylor's Lane bus lanes are part of the orbital QBC network which is an overall plan to significantly enhance bus services.

"These bus lanes are also being introduced to tie in with the upgrading and widening of the road in the area which demonstrates thoroughly co-ordinated planning."

Ms Mitchell said it was outrageous that there were no plans to put additional buses on the new lane. "I am totally supportive of bus lanes and of public transport, but this is a ludicrous use of scarce road capacity. Fifty per cent of the new road space is now to be given over to a mere two city-bound buses a day." The lane should not be made operational until the number of buses available justified it, she added.

"Despite repeated requests from South Dublin County Council, from myself and, I am sure, from other public representatives in the area, there is no commitment from Dublin Bus to provide a single extra bus."