NTA ‘doesn’t intend’ to fully restore 133
BUS EIREANN AND NTA LOOKING AT SEPARATE BRAY TO WICKLOW SERVICE
THE 133 bus route will not got through the town of Bray for the foreseeable future, according to the National Transport Authority.
In a letter to Deputy John Brady, the NTA said that it ‘does not intend to restore services in their entirety to this alignmnet’ and that this is due to ‘the on-going issues with significant delays to services operating through Main Street, Bray’.
They said that the NTA and Bus Éireann are examining options to serve Bray from Wicklow as a separate standalong arrangement.
‘This is, however at an early stage and I am currently unable to confirm any further details,’ wrote Anne Graham of the NTA. ‘In the meantime, the existing temporary arrangements via Upper Dargle Road will continue until a more satisfactory permanent solution is found.’
BIFE student Lizzie Delaney travels from Wicklow town to Bray a number of times a week and at different times of day.
She finishes at 9 p.m. on a Monday night and now must get the bus from Sunnybank on Dargle Road between 9.45 p.m. and 10 p.m.
‘I walk up there or get a lift and I stand there in the dark with no real-time information. You just have to guess when it’s coming,’ she said.
If she finishes in the afternoon, she usually gets the 4.15 p.m. bus. ‘Come half-four if it still hasn’t shown up, I have to decide whether to stand there and wait or go to the Main street for the 4.45 p.m. service which does still go through the town.’
She said that it’s inconvenient for her and even more so for someone who may be elderly or have mobility issues. The student has started a petition to have service restored. Go to petitions. ie and search for ‘133oldroute’.
‘Last year the 133 Bus Éireann service began by-passing Bray town centre and used an alternative route via Upper Dargle Road,’ said Deputy John Brady.
‘Following numerous representations I made to Bus Éireann, they had informed me that the measure was temporary and that services would return to normal after January 14. This date had, however, been extended on a number of occasions, the latest was that the full route was to be fully restored by the end of February,’ he said.
‘However, this week I received an update from the NTA that they don’t intend on restoring services to the 133 route. This news is totally unacceptable and shows total contempt to both users of the service and public representatives who have been raising this issue since the cut was first made. In all conversations and correspondence, they had stated that they were working on addressing some issues with congestion in the Bray area.
‘In their latest response to me, the NTA say they are examining options to serve Bray from Wicklow as a separate stand-alone arrangement and that this is at an early stage.
‘There has been no form of consultation by Bus Éireann since they cut this service, either with the public or the local authority with a view or having any of their concerns addressed. I have asked for an immediate meeting with the CEO of Bus Éireann to discuss the issue,’ said Deputy Brady.