BusConnects On New Bus Connects Route
BusConnects has submitted planning permission for the Kimmage to City Centre Bus Corridor Scheme. The scheme will be 3.7km in length and it will enhance bus priority measures for public and private bus services using the corridor. It is part of an overall plan to overhaul Dublin’s bus system for the future.
Breakdown of the Scheme
The scheme lead from Kimmage Cross Roads junction and proceed along Kimmage Road Lower to Harolds Cross Park, Harold’s Cross Road, on to Grand Canal at the junction with Parnell Road/Grove Road, continuing along Clanbrassil Street and New Street South Road to St Patrick’s street junction.
There will also be a cycle route from Ravensdale Park to Mount Argus to the west of Kimmage Road Lower.
Priority will be given to buses along the route, with dedicated bus lanes in both directions, though there may be alternative measures taken at more constrained locations such as R817 Kimmage Road Lower.
Pedestrian facilities are set to be upgraded, with new signalised crossings.
There are proposed works at St Patrick’s Court, Kimmage Road Lower and Sundrive Road which will include planting and street furniture to improve the quality of pedestrian walkways.
A 4m wide and 42 cm long steel boardwalk structure for pedestrians and cyclists will be created over the western bank of the River Poddle.
Construction is being divided into different phases, with as much separation as possible between sections so as to minimise traffic disruption during the construction period.
An archaeological survey of the route has assessed the impact the scheme may have on archaeological heritage. In most cases, such as at Kimmage Road Lower and Mount Argus Road, there is the potential for the discovery of new, undiscovered below ground archaeological features.
No residual impacts have been identified in the construction phase of the scheme.
Aims
Bus connects is a programme by the National transport authority to improve bus services by making them more reliable, affordable. Currently, there are still parts of Dublin City with poor bus and cycle infrastructure.
The aim is to create a more sustainable transport infrastructure for the future. In this regard, it is linked with government and regional policies including Climate Action 2023. Bus connects is working towards making the transport service low carbon and climate resilient.
Concerns And Objections
There have been some concerns over the implementation of the BusConnects programme. Fine Gael Senator Mary Seery Kearney has raised concerns on the party’s website that the timeframe for consultation with commuters along the Kimmage to City Centre Core bus route is unfair, and she noted the timescale (1rst of August to 26th September) is overlapping with the Rathfarnham-Templeogue developments.
“This timeline is extremely tight for families in particular who are on holidays and then busy preparing for the beginning of the new school term, many of whom rely on the cycling routes and bus service for those same school and work journeys.”
She also noted it is unfair that they will have to pay twice to raise objections under two separate schemes impacting their area.
There is pushback in some quarters about the actual feasibility of people using bus services in large numbers as was noted recently in an article by Erin Maguire in the Dublin Enquirer.
Some fear there will be impact on businesses, while others point to research that retailers, agencies and businesses can overestimate the importance of cars for customer travel.
They also say it can take 45 mins to get to the city Centre from Kimmage by bus, and this scheme would cut that down to between 12 -15 mins.
While there are clearly contentions around the implementation, it seems there is also pressure to improve public transport which is often uncompetitive with other modes of transport such as driving. There is no point in asking people to commute by bus if the infrastructure isn’t in place to make it viable.
