Traffic congestion cost CIE €1m a week

TRAFFIC congestion costs the two CIÉ bus companies €1m a week.

Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus claimed yesterday that increased delays on major urban and suburban routes are adding significantly to journey times, despite increased frequency in services.

Bus Éireann estimates that traffic congestion cost the company around €18m last year, while Dublin Bus believes it could achieve annual savings of €34m if it could operate at average European speeds for public transport.

Managing director of Bus Éireann, Bill Lilley complained that consent from local authorities to introduce bus priority measures in cities outside Dublin has not been forthcoming.

Bus Éireann wants to introduce three Green Routes (the equivalent of Dublin’s Quality Bus Corridors) in Cork plus another in Galway. The company is meeting later today with representatives of city councils and the National Roads Authority in Limerick to discuss ways to improve public transport in large urban centres.

Mr Lilley claimed efforts to tackle the problem had proven “a very frustrating experience for Bus Éireann.”

“There are no bus priority rights outside Dublin,” said Mr Lilley.

“You should be able to travel from Dublin to Cork in four-and-a-half hours but on Friday evenings, that’s impossible.”

Mr Lilley said the two-mile journey between Naas and Kill during morning high-peak time took 40 minutes.

He told a meeting of the Oireachtas Transport Committee that all rush-hour services were loss-making due to traffic congestion.

However, Mr Lilley said the company had no choice as they were obliged to operate these non-profitable services under the National Development Plan. He pointed out that Bus Éireann could reduce its workforce by 100 drivers and its bus fleet by 80 if it was able to operate at European speeds.