LATEST DUBLIN CITY NEWS

• “Proposed changes to retail guidelines will cost jobs, compromise main streets and cause more dereliction - An Taisce”

  03-01-2012

  Jobs will be lost and main streets will suffer if Forfas gets its way on Retail Planning  according to a recent An Taisce  Press Release

• Rejuvenating Dublin's Tourism Product

  23-12-2011

  Dublin City Business Association commissioned Jerome Casey and Felim O’Rourke to undertake a study of tourism in Dublin and to make least-cost recommendations for its rejuvenation. The World Tourism Organisation concluded (in relation to Ireland) that "there appears to be very little correlation between marketing spending by National Tourism Organisations and international arrivals". 
  

  Within Ireland, there is a mismatch between the Irish tourism market and the public resources devoted to it. 

  33 existing tourist attractions in Dublin were reviewed, and low-cost initiatives suggested for their improvement.

  From 2000 – 2010 Ireland’s share of world tourism visitors has fallen sharply. In 2004, Ireland changed from being a destination country for incoming tourists to an origin country for Irish, outgoing tourists.

  Dublin must move from passive approval of tourist activities to an active development of tourism as a priority industry in regenerating the city’s economy. 

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

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Transport 21: Bus Éireann Plan for 2007 to 2009

Tuesday the 16th of May 2006

Plans for Eastern Region

The key objectives of this plan are enhanced frequency, more destinations, orbital routes, and to create college links for easier commutes for students. In addition to this, Bus Éireann plan to create feeder services to other bus services and other modes of transport rail, Luas and air.

Bus Éireann have also decided on some key service strategies for improvement of their existing services and also the introduction of new commuter routes. Among these new strategies are clock face departures, high frequency corridors, fully accessible vehicles, and network simplicity. The most notable of these changes are localised branding; which will include localised marketing to create awareness of these services and extended operating hours which will involve core routes operating 24hours.

                                                        New Routes

 Route                                                                                                       Frequency

 Navan-Dunsaughlin-Dublin Airport-DCU                                                      60 mins

 Newbridge-Naas-Dublin Airport                                                                  60 mins

 Mullingar-Enfield-Dublin Airport                                                                  60 mins

 Naas-Citywest-Tallaght Luas                                                                      30 mins

 Edenderry-Enfield-Dublin                                                                          30 mins

 Blessington-Tallaght Luas                                                                          12 mins

 Kilcullen-Naas-Dublin                                                                                60 mins

 Wicklow-Bray-Sandyford Luas-Dublin Airport                                              60 mins

 Trim-Clane-Naas-Blessington                                                                    60 mins

 Portarlington-Portlaoise                                                                            60 mins

 Carrickmacross-Ardee-Drogheda-Dublin Airport- Dublin                            120 mins

 Newry-Carlingford-Dundalk                                                                      60 mins

                                                                Enhanced Routes

 Route                                                                                            Frequency

 Newbridge-Naas-Kill-Dublin                                                            15/30 mins

 Ashbourne-Dublin                                                                              12 mins

 Ratoath-Dublin                                                                                  30 mins

 Navan-Dunsaughlin-Dublin                                                                 15 mins

 Newbridge-Naas Shuttle                                                                     20 mins

 Wicklow-Rathnew-Dublin                                                               15/30 mins

 Mullingar-Enfield-Kilcock-Dublin                                                          30 mins

 Blanchardstown-Ratoath-Ashbourne-Dublin Airport                               60 mins

 Athboy-Trim-Dublin                                                                       15/60 mins

 Tullow-Baltinglass-Dublin                                                                    60 mins

 Navan-Drogheda-Trim                                                                        60 mins

 Bettystown-Laytown-Balbriggan-Dublin-Dublin Airport                           60 mins

These plans and strategies will benefit the customer greatly with more widespread and better quality services available. Bus capacities will increase by 67% in commuter and local transport fleets. With these changes in the service imminent, there will be an expected additional 8.4 million passenger numbers over the first 3 years of the Transport 21 initiative. It is hoped Transport 221 will help to reduce car journeys by 2 million per annum by 2016.

Among the changes to Bus Éireann services, the most admirable of these are training, Technology and environmental developments:

Training: 

This will involve training to create disability awareness and also training for drivers with the Institute of Advanced Motorists 

Technology:

On-line Nationwide Journey Planner and E-Ticketing are already in place and automatic vehicle location is currently being introduced. 

Environmental Developments:    

Bus Éireann plan to test out Biofuels and Hybrid engines with their fleet and in the meantime plan to switch to Euro 4 engines which create fewer emissions and are better for the environment. 

The Nightrider service- a late night service available from Bus Éireann- will be in operation on core routes along with Park and Ride services to attract car users to use bus transport instead of driving. These initiatives are delivered through a partnership approach with local authorities.

Bus Éireann are working with local authorities on priority requirements including reducing journey times and ongoing delivery of the quality bus network programme.