Ballyfermot residents have said that they are "very concerned" and about the new 60 BusConnects route, which is intended to replace the 79 next month.
On August 28, Phase 4 of the Bus Connects plan will see further bus routes replaced with “Spines”, and radial routes which run with high frequency into the city centre. The G-Spine (G1/G2) will replace the existing number 40 route, and the 79/79A will be replaced by the new number 60 route.
One Ballyfermot resident, Thomas Lynch, told Dublin Live that his mother who is a pensioner and her friends are all "very concerned" about the proposed changes. He said: "My mam is going on the 79/79A for many years now, she and her friends are old age pensioners and she's very concerned about this new bus.
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"I'm worried too about what will happen at rush hour, we're hearing that people like us living on lower Ballyfermot living between Kylemore Road and Lally Road will see a decimation in service. We think that they should just keep what they have at the moment, because sometimes change isn't always good."
The new G-Spine will see an increase in the total number of buses operating between the Civic Offices in Ballyfermot and Spencer Dock via the existing number 40 route. However, while there are fifteen 79/79A buses that leave Park West or Spiddel Park, residents are also concerned that five of these buses will be busy before reaching Kylemore Road and that people who use 79/79A will be forced to use the G1/G2, increasing their travel time."
People Before Profit Councillor Hazel De Nortúin and Bríd Smith TD say that they met with representatives of BusConnects last Wednesday, July 13, to outline the concerns of residents in the Ballyfermot area about the new 60 route, which is intended to replace the 79.
The changes are due to be introduced on August 28, pending staffing issues as Dublin Bus have a serious shortage of bus workers. In a joint statement, Cllr De Nortúin and Deputy Smith said: "The BusConnects officials committed to examining a number of our suggestions.
“We made it clear to them that local people were deeply unhappy with the removal of the 79 and the infrequency of the number 60 bus. The officials committed to come back to us within ten days, having examined the possibility and the cost of the following:
“1) Improving the frequency of the 60 bus route during school travel times. 2) Increasing the service to every half hour.
“3) On Claddagh Green examining alternative routing away from the shops to avoid pinch points and the Claddagh Court accommodation. The officials emphasised that G1 and G2 routes will be run along the main road with a high frequency of one of each bus every 15 minutes.
“Both routes will also run 24 hours, with one of each bus every hour during the night. We welcome any improvement in public transport, but do not agree that any group should be left behind.
"Decies Rd, Landon Rd and the surrounding area have always had a bus service and many elderly and mobility impaired people will be unable to get to the main road to connect with the new G bus route. We have emphasised to the National Transport Authority that a maintained and improved service for the area is essential," they added.
Dublin Live has contacted the NTA for comment. There will be a public meeting to discuss the issue in the Ballyfermot Civic Centre on Thursday, July 21 at 7:30pm with all welcome to attend.
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