Survey finds new bus corridor led many drivers to `ditch' cars

The introduction of a quality bus corridor in west Dublin has prompted large numbers of commuting car drivers to leave their vehicles at home and switch to public transport, a Dublin Bus survey has found.

Some 25 per cent of commuters using buses on the quality bus corridor (QBC) between Lucan and Palmerstown were drivers who had decided to "ditch" their cars, according to Mr Paddy Doherty of Dublin Bus.

The introduction of the QBC had led to massive improvements in the punctuality of buses on the route, Mr Doherty told a seminar on public transport in Dublin yesterday. Previously, the journey from Lucan and Palmerstown to the city centre could take up to 11/2 hours, depending on the time of day; now, however, the commuting time was a consistent 45 minutes, even at peak hours.

Dublin commuters are to be provided shortly with "real-time information" about approaching buses as part of a revamp of the capital's bus services, Mr Doherty also said.

The service, which will be piloted on the Lucan road from early next year, will tell commuters at bus-stops how long it will take for the next bus to arrive. A similar system operates at DART stations.

The seminar was organised to discuss the results of a new report by Southside Partnership on public transport in disadvantaged areas of south Dublin. It found that the bus system acted as a stumbling block rather than supporting poor communities in countering the disadvantages they face. Public transport was found to be "unpunctual and unreliable" and it failed to make vital links with schools, employment and essential services such as hospitals.

The report monitored public transport in four disadvantaged estates, Whitechurch, Hillview, Ballyogan and Columbanus. In Whitechurch, journey times for the 7.35 a.m. service to the city centre took about 90 minutes. Depending on the day, the bus arrived between five and 20 minutes late. This left many shop and other workers unable to guarantee their punctuality.

One later morning service failed to turn up on three out of the 10 days surveyed. School bus services also tended to arrive late, and as a result pupils were frequently late for classes.

In Ballyogan, school principals reported that fewer young people from the area were taking part in extra-curricular activities because of the lack of bus connections. Journey times for evening services from the city centre varied from 50 to 103 minutes.

All areas reported difficulties with multiple bus journeys, when individual fares have to be paid on each bus. Ballyogan passengers travelling to their social welfare office in Dun Laoghaire have to pay £4 for the four-bus journey, which takes 90 minutes each way.

Poor public transport creates difficulties for communities in accessing education, employment, and essential services taken for granted by the rest of the society, the report says. The result is increased social isolation and exclusion.

The report calls for new services from Dublin Bus, including a low-capacity service which would run on a continuous basis on a circular route in each of the areas. Fares should be restructured where passengers are catching two or three buses in the same direction, and space should be provided within buses for wheelchair users and children's buggies.

Dublin Bus has announced an expanded Nitelink service over the Christmas period, though it will not operate on Sundays, Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Northbound routes will depart from St Stephen's Green at 12.30 a.m., 1.30 a.m., 2.30 a.m. and 3.30 a.m., with pick-up points at Burgh Quay and O'Connell Street. Westbound routes will also depart from St Stephen's Green, picking up at Westmoreland Street and O'Connell Street. Southbound routes will leave from College Street with a pick-up at St Stephen's Green.

A statement from the company said : "The improved service will be more flexible to meet passengers' needs and Dublin Bus assures late-night revellers that there will be a sufficient number of buses available to meet the numbers of passengers who are waiting to use the Nitelink service each night."