Delivered
free to over 30,000 houses in Dublin 15
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| Delivered
free to over 30,000 houses in Dublin 15 |
| Bus service changes blocked by Minister A refusal by the Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey to sanction changes in bus routes operated by Dublin Bus in the Dublin 15 area has been attacked by local opposition party TDs. The
company had applied for permission to move the terminus of the 37 bus
from Diswellstown Road to the Blanchardstown Centre. Dublin Bus had
planned to run an upgraded 37 bus service from the Blanchardstown Centre
along the newly constructed bus lanes on Blanchardstown Road South picking
up passengers from Clonsilla and Mountview on the way. However because of the Minister’s interpretation of legislation enacted more than 70 years ago to regulate bus services, the application has been refused. It would appear that the decision was taken because the new service would slightly overlap with the Urbus service connecting the area with Dublin Airport. According to Deputy Joan Burton, “the much needed and long awaited improvements to the Dublin 15 bus service have been thrown into doubt because of Minister Dempsey’s ideologically motivated interpretation of competition rules. I find it baffling that we have a minister in charge of our public transport system that doesn’t seem to believe in the concept of public transport.” Fine Gael’s Leo Varadkar said “this decision is a direct result of the Government’s failure to reform Ireland’s ridiculous bus licensing laws which date from the 1930’s. At the end of the day, it is the duty of government to put the interests of commuters ahead of vested interests such as trade unions and private business.” It is understood that in an attempt to resolve matters Dublin Bus has applied to the minister to relocate the terminus near Smyth’s Toy Store than the purpose-built bus interchange at the centre itself. It is though that such a move may eliminate the small overlap between the two services. In the meantime the Minister’s refusal will have a further knock-on effect on the company’s plans to improve the 70 bus service by running it directly down the N3 instead of through the Blanchardstown Centre and Blanchardstown Village. According
to Deputy Burton, “most people don’t really care whether
it is a public or private operator who is providing the bus service
as long as that service is frequent, reliable, accessible and affordable.
If people had such an option, I’m convinced that many would happily
leave their car at home.”
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