BusConnects Dublin - Bus Network Changes Discussion

Pete_Cavan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121856414#Comment_121856414

They need to acquire the land before they can appoint a contractor. Each corridor is a separate project.

trellheim

I was going to say, no contractor would start work without the land bought and handed over, as there's years of horse trading on the land value to do yet.

If people remember, the LUAS to Broombridge could not start until the petrol station in front of Broadstone got sorted out ( and that was even messed up, with the planned swap to the other location getting mired in issues ) . There is now a nice new plaza in front where it used to be.

cgcsb

Fair point, though there significant stretches of the corridor that don't include cpo. It'd be great if nta could now put up a revised time line of when this corridor will go to construction

Pete_Cavan

I can't see the NTA publishing a timeline for a corridor going to construction given there are still plenty of issues which can take varying length of time to bottom out (CPO, enabling works, tender, etc.). I'm sure they'll have their own timelines in mind but publishing something will likely only result in them making a rod for their own back.

pk1991

The notices mainly related to land acquistion and had images. There was one near the old DeLaSalle school. Nothing particularly exciting but I am happy that, after years, things are moving and hopefully constrcution starts by the end of 2025!

GRUF

The etenders for the framework for the CBCs is currently open, and it closes on the 9th April. I can't post links since my account is new unfortunately.

2.5 billion euro contract

4 year contract + another potential 4 years

Looks like up to 6 contractors can be chosen.

Interesting to see the contract award date is the 31st Jan 2025.

My company are applying so hopefully we win - would love to work on something like this.

Champagne Sally

I’m a bit confused about the A spine, I’ve checked both threads and I’m none the wiser about timescale for this spine.

I’m particularly interested in the replacement of the No. 65 bus with the L44. Can anyone guide me to where I’d find an update on this section of the plan.

Thank you kindly in advance.

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121864251#Comment_121864251

It won’t happen until near the end of 2025.

VonLuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121864223#Comment_121864223

Why would they wait so long to award the contract? Waiting for all of the ABP grants to come through?

cgcsb

Disappointing, would have been nice to see some work on one of the big projects in 2024. I suppose 2025 is going to be a year of the big dig. 3 massive Dublin transport projects starting at the same time. I'm not sure that such a scale of concurrent works has ever happened before in any Western country, maybe in New York Paris or London at the start of the 20th century? Will be interesting to see how it's all the works are managed and co-ordinated between agencies, its a mammoth task even by Chinese standards.

lordleitrim

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121864965#Comment_121864965

How would they even have all the tradespeople needed with many of the skills unique to infrastructural projects to work on so many projects simultaneously in one city? We keep hearing of tradespeople labour shortages in general....

cgcsb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121865997#Comment_121865997

I'm not sure even TII/NTA have the answer to that, they'll just let their international contractors worry about mobilisation, and then they hit the barrier of 'oh, there's actually nowhere for many thousands of workers to sleep, only 1,000 rental properties are available in all of county Dublin. Contractors won't be able to recruit staff in other countries to become working-homeless here.

GRUF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121864886#Comment_121864886

Its definitely surprising. I know the NTA are pretty far behind on most things (as are basically every infrastructural arm of the government), but maybe they need that much time to read each contractor submission. I would hope that despite that date, contractors will be awarded sooner.

Pete_Cavan

The process set out in the etenders notice is pre-qualification followed be negotiations based on a tender for the first corridor.

https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/cft/prepareViewCfTWS.do?resourceId=2945726

Up to 6 Contractors will be appointed to the framework to facilitate the successful delivery of the CBCIW schemes. This procurement will follow the negotiated procedure with prior call for competition. Up to 8 Candidates may be shortlisted from the Pre-Qualification stage to the Invitation To Negotiate (ITN) stage.

At ITN stage, the evaluation will be based on an initial tender which will comprise of technical and commercial responses to be submitted by Tenderers. Tenders will be evaluated to determine the most economically advantageous tenderer(s).

Tender opening date is intended to be 09/04/2024, after which they will shortlist up to 8. Those 8 will get the initial tender, based on that up to 6 will be accepted onto the Framework, with one of those being awarded the initial contract, which they seem to anticipate being early next yar.

LXFlyer

An updated final network map has been uploaded on the BusConnects website and is here:

https://busconnects.ie/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Network-Redesign-Map-2023.pdf

Changes reflected in this are:

• Any changes in the routes implemented so far when compared with the original plan
• Dotted lines showing planned routings where construction will allow

To summarise the future changes by Spine phase:

H-Spine Phase

H1 shown as extending to Clongriffin Station in the future (dotted line)

C-Spine Phase

Revised future routing for the C2 shown in Adamstown (dotted line)

Western Orbitals Phase

Future W61/W62 merger shown (dotted line)

Northern Orbitals Phase

Future extension of N6 to Blackbanks (dotted line)

Future routing of N4 through Waterville (dotted line)

E-Spine / N2 Phase

Revised routing for E2 via Balbutcher Lane (South) to terminate at IKEA (instead of Charlestown)

Revised routing for N2 via Aughrim Street, Manor Street, Blackhall Place and the Quays to/from Heuston Station

Revised routing for 19 in Wadelai Estate (same as current 11); revised route via Balbutcher Lane (North), IKEA and St. Margaret's Road

Revised routing for L1/L2/L3 shown

D-Spine Phase

Revised routing for D3 at Clongriffin, with future routing shown too (dotted line)

F-Spine Phase

Revised routing for F1 via Melville Road, Jamestown Road and St. Margaret's Road to terminate at IKEA (instead of Charlestown)

Revised routing for F2 via Rossmore Road to terminate at current route 150 terminus (instead of Spawell)

Revised routing for 23 via Melville Road to terminate at Charlestown

Revised routing for 24 via Airport perimeter road (not serving Horizon Logistics Park / Harristown)

Route 82 shown as operating to Kiltipper (instead of Killinarden), routing via the old Tallaght Road rather than Tallaght bypass and will terminate at Merrion Square rather than Ringsend Garage.

Revised routing for L89 to operate from Broombridge Station via Broombridge Road, Ballyboggan Road, Finglas Road and then via planned routing to Toberburr where the route will now terminate (extension to Swords has been dropped - this is covered by Local Link route 196 (this route isn't on the map)

Ranelagh Radial Phase

L35 now shown as terminating at Balally LUAS stop (instead of Dundrum LUAS)

VG31

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121876598#Comment_121876598

There seems to be a mistake on the map for the Charlestown terminus. It shows the E2, F2, F3 and 23 terminating there but the E2 will be terminating at IKEA.

That explains why there is a blue box at the 11 terminus bus stop. I was puzzled as to why they would be replacing a bus stop that wouldn't be used anymore.

The 24 also has a revised route. Before it was going through the Horizon Logistics Park and past Harristown depot. Now it's staying on the Old Airport Road and skipping Harristown altogether. This isn't very surprsing as I don't think the gate it would have used at Horizon Logistics Park is ever open. I can't imagine Dublin Bus drivers and people working in the logistics park will be too happy about no routes serving Harristown though.

john boye

I can't speak for the reliability of this but I've heard from a local TD and a driver on the local route recently that the F-Spine will now be the last to be done.

It's probably just me but I can't really see from that map what route the 81 and 82 take from the bleeding horse inbound. Is the 82 not going to the CC?

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121876739#Comment_121876739

The F-Spine phase is pushed back to H1 2025 last we heard. Next up is the E-Spine phase.

The 81 will go via Hatch Street/Adelaide Road, St Stephen's Green, Merrion Square, Westland Row, Pearse Street to terminate at Ringsend Garage.

The 82 will go via Hatch Street/Adelaide Road, St Stephen's Green and will terminate at Merrion Square (I hadn't spotted that one!).

noelfirl

Interesting that S2 still shown as via Steeven's Lane. So either the intent is still there to route it that way (eventually) or they messed up (either way they did, as if the map is reflecting interim routings it should be dashed there, with a corresponding line on James's/Thomas Streets.

LXFlyer

They also still show the original planned routing for the A-Spine and 85 via Dame Street and College Green - this will change to go via Cuffe Street, St. Stephen's Green, Dawson Street / Kildare Street, Nassau Street and Grafton Street.

Citrus_8

Bus 82 seem to take Tallaght Village, previously was Tallaght Bypass.

p_haugh

I wonder if the L35 was changed to terminate at Ballally Luas stop because they realised there's not enough space for it to terminate at the Dundrum Luas interchange?

p_haugh

The L55 has been added to the map, and the 80 seems like it won't go via the old Lucan Road (initially at least)

The S4 routing within UCD has also been updated to match it's current arrangement.

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121877299#Comment_121877299

Yes, I didn’t go into the changes that have already been implemented in detail - just pointed out that the map has been updated for them.

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121877249#Comment_121877249

Probably yes.

Given the terminus layout at the Dundrum LUAS stop will change, it makes more sense to switch that route to Balally LUAS so that it can serve the Dundrum Town Centre.

p_haugh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121877326#Comment_121877326

If it ends up keeping the same service level as the 161, it wont add much in terms of the town centre link I fear. Hopefully it gets it's frequency bumped somewhat (and gets an actual weekend service as well)

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121877359#Comment_121877359

There’s nowhere else it will be able to turn and terminate (given the proposed changes), so the Balally LUAS is really the only option.

p_haugh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121877380#Comment_121877380

Oh I've no issues with it terminating at Ballally, just noting that the frequncy it's planned to have is unfortunate

john boye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121876768#Comment_121876768

So the 81 and 82 will avoid the city centre? That seems odd but not the end of the world.

Gold7

Any planned extension of the B Spine phase as the planned route 98 Will will only operate once every hour? Unlike the 7 / 7A which is a combined 15 minute frequency.