Unlicensed Dublin to airport bus service ceases operations

AN UNLICENSED bus service between south Dublin and the airport has announced the end of services, despite of campaigns to keep it going.

A notice on the Patton Flyer website yesterday thanked customers for their “unbelievable support” over the years since operations began in 2007, but said that “following a recent meeting with the Department of Transport, we have no choice but to cease services immediately” to protect the parent company and jobs in other services.

It is understood that up to 20 jobs are to be lost with the closure of the service which was provided by Curtis Transport Ltd.

The closure brings to an end a four-year battle by Dublin businessman and Trevor Patton of Curtis Transport Ltd to win a licence for his Dalkey to Dublin airport shuttle.

Services began in July 2007 with Mr Patton complaining he had been waiting for more than a year for a decision on a licence for the service from the Department of Transport.

The Patton Flyer started services from about 5am at a time when large numbers of staff working in Dublin airport and living in south Dublin had little choice but to use their cars to get to work.

The service utilised the Dublin Port Tunnel, significantly cutting travel time.

However, Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey was not impressed and in 2007 said he was referring the issue of a lack of a licence for the route to the Garda.

Mr Patton claimed he had been told by the Department of Transport there was no need for the service because the Aircoach Greystones service covered the route. He was granted a licence in 2009 but says he could not operate it as it contained too many restrictive clauses.

The department gave a licence for the route to Aircoach which began services this summer.