New BusConnects services which were due to come into effect in December have been deferred until January, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has announced.
The NTA said introducing the changes in the run up to Christmas may have caused confusion among bus passengers. They were originally planned to be implemented on December 8th.
The routes affected include two 24-hour, cross-city “spine” routes E1 and E2. These routes are to areas including Bray, Dublin city centre, Ballymun and Santry.
Radial 19, a route running between Dublin Airport, DCU and Parnell Square is also affected, as are routes X1 and X2 from Kilcoole, Co Wicklow, to the city centre, and Newcastle, Co Wicklow, to the city centre respectively.
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A series of L routes serving Bray, north Wicklow and South Dublin are also affected:
- L1 Newtownmountkennedy via Greystones Station to Bray Station
- L2 Newcastle via Greystones Station to Bray Station
- L3 North Delgany to Greystones Station and Glenbrook Park
- L12 Ballywaltrim via Herbert Road to Bray Station
- L14 Southern Cross Road via Bray Station to Palermo
- L15 Enniskerry Golf Club to Bray Station
- L26 Kilternan via Cornelscourt to Blackrock Station
- L27 Leopardstown Valley via Cornelscourt to Dún Laoghaire
Together the routes form Phase 6A of the wider BusConnects project. The exact revised implementation date for Phase 6A in January has yet to be announced.
A spokesman for the NTA said “we believe that the short-term disruption that the changes would involve for some customers would be an unwelcome complication in the run-up to Christmas”.
“The rescheduling of Phase 6A will free up resources, allowing additional bus services, including additional night services, to operate over the Christmas period.
“This will contribute to the city centre promotional campaign planned by Dublin City Council and businesses, and will support the retail and hospitality sector in the city and suburbs during the busy December period.”
Full list of BusConnects services pushed back
- E1: Northwood – DCU – City Centre – Bray – Ballywaltrim
- E2: Ballymun (IKEA) – DCU – City Centre – Dún Laoghaire
- 19: Dublin Airport – DCU – Parnell Square
- L1: Newtownmountkennedy – Greystones Station – Bray Station
- L2: Newcastle – Greystones Station – Bray Station
- L3: North Delgany – Greystones Station – Glenbrook Park
- L12: Ballywaltrim – Herbert Road – Bray Station
- L14: Southern Cross Road – Bray Station – Palermo
- L15: Enniskerry Golf Club – Bray Station
- L26: Kilternan – Cornelscourt – Blackrock Station
- L27: Leopardstown Valley – Cornelscourt – Dún Laoghaire
- X1: Kilcoole – Greystones – City Centre (Hawkins Street)
- X2: Newcastle – Kilcoole – Greystones – Brides Glen – City Centre (Hawkins Street)
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