No new buses in past four years

NOT a single vehicle has been added to the Dublin Bus fleet in the past four years, it emerged yesterday.

A report published by the company yesterday revealed dramatic increases in the numbers living along bus routes and warned of increased journey times. However, the company’s management has complained it cannot properly make use of new quality bus corridors until the Department of Transport releases funding for extra buses.

The green light has been given for an additional 13 bus corridors, to add to existing ones praised for cutting journey times and car use on key arterial routes in to the city.

Transport Minister Martin Cullen defended his department’s position, claiming the funding is available for new buses but will not be released until Dublin Bus completes a review of its services, particularly following the launch of the LUAS. The light railway has taken thousands of passengers from buses on certain routes.

The department denies the funds have been frozen until there is reform of the market and more private competition on the capital’s roads.

The body responsible for drafting the capital’s transportation strategy has been given no guidance on the issue. The Dublin Transportation Office is currently reviewing its 16-year strategy for the capital.

Mr Cullen said his officials are in discussions with “stakeholders” which are going “extremely well”. He said there was no point in handing over extra funding until after Dublin Bus reorganises its network, to take in to account the LUAS and changing demographics. Discussions are ongoing on the increased use of private operators, which are likely to feature in the future, he added

No one from Dublin Bus was available for comment yesterday.

However, the company’s strategic planning manager, Derry O’Leary, told South Dublin County Council: “We are now pleading for buses - under the National Development Plan we were to get 80 buses last year and 70 buses this year and we are still waiting.

“We have a situation where QBCs are coming on stream and we have no extra buses than we had two years ago.

“Our advice to local authorities is not to build any more QBCs until we have the resources to match.”

The Department of Transport insists it is committed to enhanced public transport.

The 2000 national development plan, NDP, provides for 275 additional buses and 500 replacements from 2000 to 2006. An extra 75 buses came in to service in late 1999 and 2000 but no extra have been added to 1062 strong fleet since 2001.