Sir, - To reduce traffic congestion on the roads it would be advisable to make greater use of public transport. Unfortunately this Government recommendation is pointless if Bus Eireann doesn't pull itself up by the bootstraps and operate a reliable, efficient service in conformity with a real timetable.
On Friday November 19th I patiently waited at the train station in Kilkenny city, which also serves as a bus depot for Bus Eireann, for the 16.30 Kilkenny to Dublin bus. Of a Friday a few minutes delay is to be expected, due to traffic congestion, so I was none too surprised when the bus did not arrive for 10 minutes. I was surprised, however, when the driver said that he was travelling only as far as Naas. He assured us that an extra bus was on its way.
I waited. . . As another bus was scheduled for 17.05 I continued waiting when the extra bus turned out to be non-existent. By 17.30 darkness had fallen and the mist and cold of the November evening became increasingly uncomfortable as I realised that I would be ridiculously late for my engagements in Dublin. A fear dawned on me that my waiting could be futile as this bus might not exist either.
I phoned the Dublin headquarters. After being put on hold for a time I was bluntly informed by the voice on the other end of the line that he could do nothing about the situation because he was in Dublin and not Kilkenny. I waited. . . One hour and 15 minutes after the scheduled time for departure, the bus finally arrived and picked up a substantial number of tired and frustrated commuters. Some of these had been waiting for an hour-and-three-quarters due to being early for the phantom 16.30 bus.
I must stress that this was not an isolated incident. In fact, the 16:30 bus has failed to run on a number of occasions and it has allegedly become routine for the 17:05 to run up to an hour late.
In light of the regularity of these Friday disasters I suggest that the timetables be altered to reflect the actual times of arrival and departure and the actual buses which are going to run.
To reduce traffic congestion on the roads it would be advisable to make greater use of public transport. True. Also true is the fact that this unreliable public service operated by Bus Eireann is detrimental to the government initiative to encourage the use of public transport as an alternative to travelling by private car. - Yours, etc., Colleen Ni Chiarmhaic,
Broguemakers Hill, Kilkenny.