Commute from Newtown to Dublin is ‘unpredictable’
BRAY Fianna Fáil representative Chris Walsh, who recently moved to Newtownmountkennedy with his family, relies on the 133 service to commute to work in Dublin City Centre.
‘As someone who relies on the 133 bus service for going to and from work and who represents the people of Bray, I find it shocking that the bus service is so unpredictable,’ said Mr Walsh,
‘I have, on more occasions than I can count, waited at the bus stop at either the Parkview Hotel or Leeson Street watching the real-time information show a bus is due, only for it not to show up. I can remember one night where I waited three hours for the bus, decided to get the dart, and then the 184 Dublin Bus. I was getting off at Newtownmountkennedy when the 133 pulled up behind me, with the very same people getting off, that I was waiting with on Leeson Street,’ he said.
Mr Walsh said that there is a problem on the Main Street in Bray, which the bus is not serving at this time.
‘Real-time information is saying that the bus is due when in fact it is only going via the Dargle Road. I have written to the regional manager asking to reinstate this bus to serve the Main Street but have received no reply. I understand that this diversion is because of delays due to traffic congestion.
‘However, as somebody who gets the bus regularly, I don’t find much difference in the time it takes to get home. To expect people to get a bus to Kilmacanoque, then transfer to the 133 is unacceptable. People have enough expense without having to pay two fares to get home. ‘People living and working in Bray deserve a much better service than what is currently being provided,’ he said.
‘I will be writing to Minister Shane Ross to have a full review done of the reliability and performance of this service.’ Mr Walsh said that he has contacted Bus Eireann a number of times to seek explanations for buses not showing up, and has been told there were delays due to heavy traffic in the city centre.
‘ This has not stopped Dublin Bus operating on time, albeit with delays every now again, but at least the real-time display shows the right time. It has also not stopped Aircoach services from operating fully, of which some services take the same route to the city as Bus Eireann. I find this blatant disregard for their customers appalling.’