Double-decker buses to help with 184 havoc

THE managing director of the bus company GoAhead has agreed to put on a double-decker bus by today (Wednesday) to alleviate difficulties on the 184 route.

There was havoc on the route on Monday for commuters and students going to school. ‘Removing the double deckers form peak times meant that buses were crammed and people were being left behind,’ said Cllr Jennifer Whitmore, who spoke to the GoAhead MD about the issues.

School students travelling from Bray to Greystones were getting home from school at least one hour later than planned.

‘He will also analyse the passenger data to determine exactly how many double-deckers are required for the service,’ said Cllr Whitmore.

‘Unfortunately, it appears that the NTA, when they went out for tender, nominated this route as a single decker route, which has caused obvious difficulties.’

Meanwhile, bus services to and from Kilcoole and Newcastle have decreased, with the announcement of a new timetable by Dublin Bus.

The company produced a revised timetable for the 84 and 84A last week, saying that ‘minor changes’ would ‘improve punctuality and reliability.

There are now fewer buses serving Kilcoole and Newcastle. ‘This is a 14 per cent reduction in service from 22 buses a day to 19,’ said Greystones Labour Representative Mags Crean and General Election Candidate Jack O Connor,’ in a statement.

There is also a cut in the morning peak time buses. ‘We are very concerned about this,’ they said in the statement. ‘It is a sudden unexpected change with five days notice to bus users.’

Secondary school students in Kilcoole are concerned that they won’t make their bus home to Newcastle. A service which previously left at 4.10 p.m. has changed to 3.55 p.m., with the next bus an hour later.

Furthermore, commuters from Newcastle are disappointed to lose the 7.20 a.m. service from the village.