New bus service Millfield to City Centre

October

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone has tried the new bus service from Millfield SC to the City Centre and if so, how was it?

Thanks

JodTT

I got this for the first time this morning - very good service.

They're actually running at a quarter to and a quarter past the hour, rather than on the half hour, and the pick up point is right outside the front door of the Millfield. We left Balbriggan at 8.15am and I got off at the Convention Centre in town at 8.55am!

It's €6 return or €3 each way. Highly recommended!

Kumsheen

Who is it operated by? Is it a proper coach?

JodTT

Yes, it's a proper coach. It's run by KBR Buses. www.kbrbuses.com

tatli_lokma

Thats handy - if I miss the 7am for any reason, at least I know I can get the 7.15 from Millfield. Shame it doesn't go to Stephens green, but I could walk over in about 20 mins so it would be ok.

And a lot cheaper than Bus Eireann for the odd journey (not cheaper if you use your taxsaver ticket). Anyone know if KBR offer the taxsaver scheme?

JodTT

Just to add.... I got the bus home last night and this time it was an old Dublin Bus double decker, so they're not all coaches.

The journey from being picked up at the Convention Centre to the Millfield took 35 minutes!

Nadine712

I've also since minibus style buses with the Millfield sign on them in the evenings whilst waiting on the BE buses. They seem to change every day

Kumsheen

JodTT wrote: »

I got this for the first time this morning - very good service.

They're actually running at a quarter to and a quarter past the hour, rather than on the half hour, and the pick up point is right outside the front door of the Millfield. We left Balbriggan at 8.15am and I got off at the Convention Centre in town at 8.55am!

It's €6 return or €3 each way. Highly recommended!

That's a good price for an express service. Hope it does well.

tatli_lokma

Just to let you know, I was speaking about this with my mate last night, and she mentioned that one of the bus drivers for Bus Eireann told her that KBR don't have a licence for that route, so technically are not insured. In which case if there was an accident then they would not be insured for it. I don't know if this is truth or lies, or if the bus driver was just trying to deter people from using the service, but if it is true I would be a bit concerned.

If anyone knows if there is any truth to this please let us know.

Bluetonic

Little Ted wrote: »

If anyone knows if there is any truth to this please let us know.

With rumours like this it's better to err on the side of caution and not post anything as these things have a habit of becoming fact, especially in a town like Balbriggan.

Do let us know how you get on...www.nationaltransport.ie/contact-us

tatli_lokma

well from looking at that website they only have a licence to operate from Lusk to Balbriggan (see page 8). And this list was updated on 28th October.
So it would seem that as of 2 weeks ago the route from Balbriggan to Dublin was not licenced, unless KBR have it licenced under a different name, which is entirely possible.

http://www.nationaltransport.ie/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/database-of-holders-of-licences-for-public-bus-passenger-services2.pdf

ETA - just spoke with one of the staff at the transport authority. Seems that the licence to run on the Balbriggan to Dublin return route is under investigation - basically it is not clear whether they can operate this route under a private operators licence. So until a decision is made they can continue to run the service. Once a decision is made they will either a) be successful and the service will be permitted to continue, or b) they will have to cease operating on that route immediately. NTA were unsure as to the legal position regarding insurance while the licence is under investigation.

Kumsheen

Well there is another thread running on this forum http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056543614 where people are frustrated at trying to get on the 33X in the mornings, and the inability of Dublin Bus to provide additional capacity to meet demand.
Hopefully some private company will get approval to run some express services to give more options for people and ease the pressure on this route.
Look at how popular Swords Express has become and how it shook Dublin Bus to up it's service.
There is no reason why this can't be replicated on a smaller scale for the other large NCD towns.

JodTT

Little Ted wrote: »

well from looking at that website they only have a licence to operate from Lusk to Balbriggan (see page 8). And this list was updated on 28th October.
So it would seem that as of 2 weeks ago the route from Balbriggan to Dublin was not licenced, unless KBR have it licenced under a different name, which is entirely possible.

http://www.nationaltransport.ie/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/database-of-holders-of-licences-for-public-bus-passenger-services2.pdf

ETA - just spoke with one of the staff at the transport authority. Seems that the licence to run on the Balbriggan to Dublin return route is under investigation - basically it is not clear whether they can operate this route under a private operators licence. So until a decision is made they can continue to run the service. Once a decision is made they will either a) be successful and the service will be permitted to continue, or b) they will have to cease operating on that route immediately. NTA were unsure as to the legal position regarding insurance while the licence is under investigation.

That's very worrying. Hopefully it can be clarified quickly as I do think the service is great.

Eoineo

KBR are a large private hire coach service based in the area. They operate many of the local school bus services for Bus Eireann & Dublin Bus. If you're at all worried you should ring them to ask rather than relying on rumours on a discussion board. One of the conditions of these contracts would be a very high level of insurance.

As far as I know, unless there is an actual route in place, operated by either of the 2 CIE companies or somebody else who owns the operating board, then they are free to run this private hire service. Again I would ring them & check. I'm sure they will be happy to answer your questions & phone calls are cheap these days!

Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated in any way with this company despite having a family member in the coach business.

bobsman

Am interested in this too:)does it leave exactly on time or is it give or take a few minutes?? Also I work near Leeson St., is it worth getting off at the Convention Centre?

tatli_lokma

Eoineo wrote: »

KBR are a large private hire coach service based in the area. They operate many of the local school bus services for Bus Eireann & Dublin Bus. If you're at all worried you should ring them to ask rather than relying on rumours on a discussion board. One of the conditions of these contracts would be a very high level of insurance.

As far as I know, unless there is an actual route in place, operated by either of the 2 CIE companies or somebody else who owns the operating board, then they are free to run this private hire service. Again I would ring them & check. I'm sure they will be happy to answer your questions & phone calls are cheap these days!

Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated in any way with this company despite having a family member in the coach business.

With all due respect Eoineo, I am not relying on rumours on a discussion board - I followed up and spoke to the relevant authorities and I if I were going to ring anyone I am more inclined to ring the transport authority (which I did) rather than take the word of the company. The company are hardly likely to tell you information which impacts negatively on them. Whilst I don't wish to cast aspersions on the company, at the same time, the list specifying what routes they are licenced to run is pretty clear. And the whole reason the licence is under investigation is because it is not clear if they are allowed to run the route as a private hire service, or in fact they need a public licence. The contracts they have for the schools buses are irrelevant to the route being discussed. So until it is decided if the route can run as a private hire route or as a public transport route they are not officially licenced. That is not to say that KBR are not operating as a professional company in their other areas of business, but it does leave a grey area as to how long this route will operate for.

kumsheen wrote:

Well there is another thread running on this forum http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showt...p?t=2056543614 where people are frustrated at trying to get on the 33X in the mornings, and the inability of Dublin Bus to provide additional capacity to meet demand.
Hopefully some private company will get approval to run some express services to give more options for people and ease the pressure on this route.

The 101X is a great service and 99.9% of the time you can get a seat - only once have I seen it where there were no seats left leaving Balrothery on the 7am. And that is in the space of one year, so pretty good odds I reckon. The new KBR service runs more or less the same route from Balbriggan as the 101X - except that it terminates on Eden quay whereas the 101X terminates on Wilton Terrace. If the KBR service suits you, then the 101X service should equally fit your needs. If I get the 7am bus from Balbriggan I am on Leeson Street between 7.45 and 7.55. Can't recommend it enough. Having said that, I equally welcome some competition to the market, as it would be good to know that if I did for some reason miss the 7am bus I could get the KBR at 7.15 rather than get the train or wait til 8am. Its good to have a few options.

JodTT

bobsman wrote: »

Am interested in this too:)does it leave exactly on time or is it give or take a few minutes?? Also I work near Leeson St., is it worth getting off at the Convention Centre?

I've only gotten it from the Millfield once and it left at exactly 8.15am.

I've gotten twice home from the Convention Centre and it gets there at about 6.25pm (10 mins from the first stop where it leaves at 6.15pm - understandable because of traffic on the Quays). I was still back at the Millfield by 7pm both times.

I work on Baggot Street, and it's about a 25 minute walk from the Convention Centre for me.

bobsman

Thanks Jod - I have to be in for 9am. Do you reckon if I got the one at 8am I would make it? thanks

tatli_lokma

bobsman wrote: »

Thanks Jod - I have to be in for 9am. Do you reckon if I got the one at 8am I would make it? thanks

the 101X leaving Balbriggan (Bank of Ireland) gets to Wilton Terrace by 8.50/8.55 and will drop you right at Baggot St Bridge (or if its the end nearer the Green it passes there about 5-10 mins before that). Would save you the walk from the Convention centre - particularly if the weather was bad.

JodTT

bobsman wrote: »

Thanks Jod - I have to be in for 9am. Do you reckon if I got the one at 8am I would make it? thanks

There's no bus at 8am. It's at 7.45am. Based on the journey time I have experienced, that should get you into the Convention Centre by 8.30, so you would then have 30 mins to walk to Leeson Street.

Little Ted wrote: »

the 101X leaving Balbriggan (Bank of Ireland) gets to Wilton Terrace by 8.50/8.55 and will drop you right at Baggot St Bridge (or if its the end nearer the Green it passes there about 5-10 mins before that). Would save you the walk from the Convention centre - particularly if the weather was bad.

The Balbriggan express costs €6 return. I presume the 101X is the same as the 101 and costs €5.50 single??

For me the Balbriggan Express represents a significant saving, and I personally don't mind the walk, as it's a way of getting exercise.

tatli_lokma

JodTT wrote: »

The Balbriggan express costs €6 return. I presume the 101X is the same as the 101 and costs €5.50 single??

For me the Balbriggan Express represents a significant saving, and I personally don't mind the walk, as it's a way of getting exercise.

I agree the Millfield bus is a really good price alright, but if you use the bus daily then it would be worth getting a taxsaver ticket - this would mean that (depending on your salary) bus eireann and the millfield service would be about the same price, the bus eireann might even be cheaper
(e.g, monthly ticket at 20% rate of tax is €106.26, in the average month there is around 21 or so working days which is equivalent to €5.06 per day return, if you are on higher tax it is even less than this).

If Millfield can get the public licence approved (rather than a private hire one) you should be able to use the taxsaver scheme against it also, which would be fantastic - although I would guess that prices might go up if they were operating public hire rather than private, but I suppose we'll have to wait and see. I hope they do get the licence sorted - either type. It would be great to have the extra safety net of another method of getting to the city centre.

JodTT

I only need to get the train/bus once or twice a week as I share a car the rest of the week, so the taxsaver ticket isn't relevant to me, as I'd never get the value out of it.

Thanks for the advice anyway.

tatli_lokma

JodTT wrote: »

I only need to get the train/bus once or twice a week as I share a car the rest of the week, so the taxsaver ticket isn't relevant to me, as I'd never get the value out of it.

Thanks for the advice anyway.

Same as myself!

bobsman

There's no bus at 8am. It's at 7.45am. Based on the journey time I have experienced, that should get you into the Convention Centre by 8.30, so you would then have 30 mins to walk to Leeson Street.


Jod, I just checked the Millfield website and the times they are giving are 7.00am, 8.00am, 8.00am!!

Nadine712

bobsman, I understand from someone I've spoken to who contacted the driver at Millfield that they are doing the departures on the quarter to/quarter past basis.

Open to correction on this, it could be just the evening departures that were changed without notification

JodTT

bobsman wrote: »

There's no bus at 8am. It's at 7.45am. Based on the journey time I have experienced, that should get you into the Convention Centre by 8.30, so you would then have 30 mins to walk to Leeson Street.


Jod, I just checked the Millfield website and the times they are giving are 7.00am, 8.00am, 8.00am!!

They handed out a leaflet last week with a quarter to and a quarter past times, and those are the times I've gotten it at.

A copy of the leaflet can be found on their website here....

http://www.kbrbuses.com/html/millfield.html

bobsman

Thanks jod - appreciate that, was going to turn up at 8am!

bosco.007

service is amazing ,does what it says on the tin. 6 week now for 15 euro ...... im happy thanks

bobsman

An excellent service - am just amazed that there are not more passengers

K b r transport

KBR has been granted the Licence by the national transport authority to operate as Balbriggan Express bus hopefully this puts all enquires to rest and that we can build the service up. Looking forward to offering a good service and value for money hope to introduce tax saver soon

Eoineo

K b r transport wrote: »

KBR has been granted the Licence by the national transport authority to operate as Balbriggan Express bus hopefully this puts all enquires to rest and that we can build the service up. Looking forward to offering a good service and value for money hope to introduce tax saver soon

Congratulations that is great news for the locality & hopefully will bring more jobs for your company.