Sir, – My daughter told me the 133 Bus Éireann route was unreliable. I didn’t believe her.
On Saturday I arranged to meet a friend in Dublin between 3:30pm and 4pm. The online bus schedule for Saturday showed that there was a 133 bus from Kilmacanogue, Co Wicklow, at 2.41pm. The bus pulled in off the motorway to the stop. I put out my hand but the bus drove past and did not stop. The driver saw me. We made eye contact. Never mind – the electronic display said there was another two 133 buses in 20 minutes. I waited. At the appointed time the display showed that the buses had arrived but there were no buses. So that’s three phantom buses. The display said that there was another 133 bus in 23 minutes. I waited. Again the display said that the bus had arrived but there was no bus. Four phantom buses. There was a 45A which I decided to take to the Dart station in Bray. I then got a Dart to Lansdowne and arrived at 5:30pm. Three hours to get from Kilmacanogue to Dublin.
To get back home I checked the schedule for the 133 and saw that there were buses from Donnybrook Church at 17 minutes past the hour until 11.17pm. I decided to get the 10.17 pm bus home. It never arrived. I waited until 10.22 pm where the display showed buses for the next 20 minutes but no mention of the 133. I got the 145 to Ballywaltrim and walked a mile home. Five phantom buses– a level of disorganisation that is almost incomprehensible.
I spoke to many people in the area and they said that the 133 schedule is a farce. Bus Éireann has removed the 145 service so the 133 is the only service if you want to get a bus to Dublin.
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I have learned a lot from this experience: the electronic display at bus stops are not to be trusted; the timetables published by Bus Éireann are not to be trusted; those planning the routes from Kilmacanogue to Dublin are not to be trusted; I should trust my daughter. – Yours, etc,
DES CULLEN,
Bray, Co Wicklow.