Inchicore And Bluebell Residents Protest Against Bus Route Changes:
By: Aidan Crowley:
Residents of Inchicore and Bluebell are holding a series of protests against plans to replace three bus routes in the area, namely, the numbers 13, 68 and 69.
Under the BusConnects Dublin area network redesign scheme, the National Transport Authority (NTA) is introducing the D1, D2 and D3 spines, which will now be diverted down the Kylemore Road, Long Mile Road and Crumlin Road into the city centre.
The 13, 68 and 69 routes will be replaced by the new number 58 route. This route will now run every hour from Rathcoole, down the Naas Road and Tyrconnell Road, through Bulfin Estate, down the South Circular Road, to Islandbridge and along to the quays.
The residents’ protests, led by former local Right to Change TD, Joan Collins, have been held monthly since last November. Participants have been blocking major road intersections in both catchment areas, including the major road junction at the old Blackhorse Inn public house. The next protest is pencilled in for Saturday 10th May at 1.30 pm in the same location.
Protesters are demanding more frequent bus services, every fifteen minutes, or every ten minutes during peak times, along with better connections to Thomas Street.
“One of the main complaints from locals is that the new routes don’t go into Thomas Street in the Liberties, a place residents explain is culturally tied to Inchicore and Bluebell. They’re removing three buses that give huge connectivity for the people of the area.and replacing it with one bus per hour i.e the 58. That number 13 bus used to originally have the terminus in Inchicore on Ring Street, so it has that historical connection with the area”, said Collins.
“It might not be the most direct route, but it’s the route to where people in Inchicore and Bluebell have family, friends, work, pharmacists and routines. The D1 and D2 won’t be going anywhere near us, That’s a huge hike from Bluebell. What we want is for the 58 to be much more frequent for the area that goes down from Thomas Street. That’s a key demand”, she added.
“We want to highlight the fact that we’re losing connectivity and frequency on our buses and that it is just not good enough. The LUAS is not an option for a lot of people at peak hours, We did meet up with the NTA last year and they committed they’d give us the 58 every half hour, but that’s just not good enough”, she concluded.
For some local residents, the number 68 bus route is essential for taking their children to the nearest multi-denominational school. Anna Houlihan, who lives on Jamestown Road, Inchicore, explained that her eldest child has additional needs and would “really struggle” if it was necessary to walk to the school.
“If we got the LUAS, she would not be able to manage the thirty-minute walk from the LUAS to the school”, she said.
“From September, our five-year-old will also attend the school. He also has additional needs and doesn’t see the danger of roads. Walking will be impossible for our family and we cannot cope without the 68 bus”, she added.
An elderly man, aged sixty-nine, who lives on the Bluebell Road, said that it is a “big effort” to get on and off the bus.
He currently travels to use the post office in Inchicore or Thomas Street, as the post office in his own area closed a number of years ago.
The number 58 bus service, proposed to run every hour by the NTA, will bypass Thomas Street, which he feels is an “insult to the community”.
“I see no benefit to us, the elderly and disabled bus users, who depend on public transport. Taking away our 13 bus route is diapppointing. I hope the NTA will reconsider their plan”, he said.
The local community has also suggested that one of the new C bus routes (C, C1, or C2), which are more frequent, could possibly connect to Islandbridge. This would have the effect of facilitating residents in that area, rather than having the number 58 travelling on that route.
Local residents are also concerned about the increased distance to bus stops, particularly for the elderly, families and people with disabilities. While the LUAS services both catchment areas, it tends to be overcrowded and doesn’t fully address the needs of the local community.
These proposed bus route changes are viewed as significantly disrupting the local residents’ connections to key areas, such as the Liberties, Thomas Street, Camden Street and the local hospital at James’s Street.
These areas provide access to shopping, health services, religious services and schools. Many elderly residents and those with mobility issues, rely on the current bus routes to maintain their daily routines.
A spokeswoman for the NTA said: “The BusConnects Dublin area network redesign scheme was finalised, following three rounds of public consultations, which culminated in over 72,000 submissions being received”.
“The overall network represents a major invetment in enhanced bus services, delivering a 35% increase in annual ‘in service’ kilometres, a significant increase in overall capacity and frequency for customers, as well as more evening and weekend services”, she added.
“Passenger numbers on the services launched, thus far, under the network redesign are approximately 48% higher, compared to 8% on non-network redesign related routes. The network change relevant to this particular area relates to the new route 58. We are aware of the concerns raised in relation to this route. Please note that we are currently reviewing and updating the plan for this service and will advise stakeholders of the outcome when the update is complete”, she concluded.
https://www.nationaltransport.ie/planning-and-investment/transport-investment/projects/busconnects/
