Home News Latest News Anger expressed over axing of bus route

Anger expressed over axing of bus route

Tuesday, 02 March 2010

NORTH county Dublin commuters have expressed anger following the cancellation of a local bus route. Bus Eireann’s number 102 bus route from Ardcath to the city centre only operated twice a day but for many people living in rural areas of Fingal such as Oldtown, it provided a vital direct link to their workplaces. Now locals will have to seek alternative services at Duleek or Kilmoon Cross. The cuts were part of a new cost recovery plan under which routes deemed to have low customer support were axed. St John Baird, from Oldtown, told Northside People that the service was a great loss to the local community. “How are local people supposed to get to work if they have pulled the only bus route?” Mr Baird asked. “People have been told they can go to Duleek or Swords but that will take them longer and not everyone has a car to make the journey. “They are saying there are not enough people taking the bus but the people who do take it need that bus route. “There should be an alternative to scrapping the route completely.” Mr Baird has called for the decision to be postponed until all local options can be considered. He said alternative routes could allow for more passengers on buses without scrapping the 102 bus entirely. “The service could be adapted to better suit local people,” he added. “Bus Eireann is the only means of getting out of and returning to the rural areas every day so why are we starting to dismantle the infrastructure that we have built up?” The implementation of changes to Bus Eireann’s services with low customer support under its cost recovery plan, as recommended by the Labour Court, began on February 28. This includes Route 102 from Ardcath to Dublin, which had one departure each way per day. Bus Eireann said there are alternative higher frequency services available from adjacent locations - Ashbourne, Duleek or Kilmoon Cross. “In recent years, Bus Éireann has significantly expanded its network of services across the country,” a spokesperson for the company told Northside People. “However, the economic downturn has seen a significant drop in demand for public transport because of the fall in the number of people in work. “This has resulted in Bus Éireann customer numbers falling by over 10 per cent in 2009, which has impacted negatively on the company’s revenues and means it can no longer afford to operate the same high level of services as it has previously.” The spokesperson said that following a detailed review, service changes were being introduced on a phased basis and will focus on services that have low customer support. “The majority of changes will be to the frequency of services or the routing of services,” the spokesperson added.  “This is the start of the first phase of changes under the cost recovery plan.” Dublin North Senator Brendan Ryan (Lab) said the decision to discontinue the service must be reversed. “I spoke at a well-attended public meeting in Garristown, which was attended by representatives from all areas served by the bus route, including Garristown, Springhill, Oldtown, Naul, and St Margaret’s, who are quite rightly angry at the loss of service and are committed to fighting to hold onto it,” stated Senator Ryan. “The effect of the decision to scrap the 102 is that there will be no public transport in the area.  “I understand that some areas are having their services reduced due to a 10 per cent drop in customers, but in this case it is scrapping the service altogether.” Information on service changes is available at www.buseireann.ie