Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 17 Nov 1998

Vol. 496 No. 6

Adjournment Debate. - Dublin Bus Services.

Dr. Upton

I am grateful for the opportunity to raise this important matter. I have raised this issue as a result of ongoing representations from constituents about the quality of Dublin Bus services and because of the experience of one constituent last week. This individual uses the No. 77 bus to travel from his home in Drimnagh to work in Tallaght. On 12 November, he telephoned me in a state of annoyance because of his experiences that morning. He arrived at the bus stop on the Crumlin Road at 8.10 a.m. but did not get a bus until 9.27 a.m., one hour and 17 minutes later. One bus passed at 8.40 a.m. but it was full. Everyone would agree that this type of service is not acceptable. The Minister will also agree that such a service is an incentive for people to use their cars. Unfortunately my constituent is not lucky enough to own a car.

There is a need to think strategically about public transport in Dublin. We need to plan and invest and we need action. I welcome the Minister's recent announcement that extra buses will be provided. However, Dublin Bus needs more than a once-off investment from public transport initiatives.

At about 4 per cent, public transport in Dublin is the least subsidised of any European capital. This must be compared with Brussels, Bonn and Amsterdam which have subsidy levels in excess of 60 per cent. The system in Rome is subsidised by more than 80 per cent. Bus users in Dublin are badly neglected.

Dublin Bus could introduce a number of useful initiatives. For example, it could increase the number of outlets at which tickets are sold. This is a simple measure and many shops would be glad of the extra business. The company could also modernise the manner in which tickets are used. In Italy it is possible to buy a packet of tickets which are used individually. One puts the ticket into a machine which retains the ticket. This is less cumbersome than the system used in Dublin. It would decrease the amount of time lost at bus stops and relieve the frustration of motorists caught behind buses.

Dublin Bus badly needs to invest in new technology. In particular, it must invest in electronic noticeboards which could be installed at major bus stops. Such signs would tell the public when the next bus is due. It is very frustrating to read on the timetable that the next bus is due in a few minutes but one does not know if the bus has gone or when it will arrive. Electronic noticeboards would indicate when the next bus is due or whether it is gone. One could then reconsider one's options. The service must be improved or else traffic will continue to dominate the political agenda. It should not do so as we should have solved this problem. It can be solved. More investment is needed in the infrastructure of public transport and by way of subsidies or else I will have many more unfortunate constituents.

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke)

I cannot reply to the specific matter raised by the Deputy as I cannot supervise the running times of every bus in Dublin and operational matters do not fall within my remit. However, I sympathise with his constituent.

We need more buses and for the first time the Government is providing funding for 150 buses. This has not happened before and CIE had to pay for buses from its own revenues. This is a major breakthrough. The EU provided funding for 50 buses and the Government for 100 buses. This involves a direct payment of £25 million to Dublin Bus. The company did not receive such payments from previous Governments. I am not picking out the Deputy as he is a very pleasant person but it took some fighting to secure this investment.

I agree with the Deputy that there are seemingly small measures which could be effective if put into action. He mentioned purchasing tickets at more outlets and electronic noticeboards such as those which operate on the DART. However, the DART does not encounter traffic problems. A bus may be due in ten minutes according to an electronic sign but it may be caught in traffic. This is where quality bus corridors come into play. There will be 12 such corridors. The Lucan corridor is already operational and is working well. The service is regular and one overtakes out cars when one travels on the corridor — that is the real test. The Malahide corridor is almost ready and I would appeal to those who are holding up the implementation of these corridors through the planning process to allow the plans proceed.

The Night Link service will be operational for Christmas. This year it will also run from St. Stephen's Green as there were complaints that no services ran from that part of the city last year. There will also be two park and ride facilities at Whitehall and the RDS. I was on the Cork park and ride service but I did not make an exhibition of myself and have my photograph appear in every newspaper. I got on the bus but I did not make a show of myself like some others who got on a bus and got off after two stops. The alert driver said he would give all the passengers a free ticket as the Minister for Transport was on the bus. I thought that might be regarded as electioneering. Park and ride facilities are very effective.

The Government has also provided funding for much needed, additional DART carriages. I thought one could get these carriages as soon as they were ordered but this is not the case. There is a lead-in time and it takes some time before delivery is made. Deputy Upton is correct and his concerns are shared across the board. He tabled this matter last week but I was not able to attend. However, I am glad he persisted.

There is also the issue of suburban lines. This year, Operation Freeflow, which commences on Monday week, will operate in suburban areas and this will be helpful.

John Prescott, the UK Minister for Transport, recently told me the Thatcher Government privatised the entire transport sector but that as a result costs have gone up and the service has declined. The initiative did not succeed, to the extent that Mr. Prescott is considering some renationalisation. He told me he tears his hair out every night — whatever hair he has left — in frustration with public transport. It is an issue on which everybody must concentrate. I appreciate the Deputy raising it on the Adjournment.