Dublin’s BusConnects programme will continue its rollout this weekend with the launch of Phase 5A on Sunday.
This phase will see the introduction of the W4, W61 and W62 orbital routes in Dublin South West and North Kildare.
Buses on the W4 route will travel from The Square in Tallaght to Blanchardstown Shopping Centre via Grange Castle and Liffey Valley. The W61 route will serve Maynooth Education Campus and will go through Salesian College, Celbridge Main Street, and Willow Avenue before terminating at Hazelhatch Station.
The W62 bus will start at Newcastle and will run through Citywest Road and Brookfield Road, ending at The Square in Tallaght.
The BusConnects programme has began transforming Dublin’s bus services over the past couple of years but its implementation has faced delays due to driver shortages. Phase 4 (the G Spine) was the most recent phase to be rolled out and saw major changes to bus services between west Dublin and the city centre last October.
Read more: Three new Dublin bus routes set to launch this month
One of the most praised aspects of the programme is the increase in 24 hour bus routes, with many services now running through the night on weekdays as well as weekends throughout Dublin.
However, the National Transport Authority has faced some criticism throughout the rollout of BusConnects, with “serious concerns” previously being raised about a large number of no-show buses in Ballymun and Finglas following the rollout of Phase 3 last year.
What is your experience with BusConnects in Dublin? Has it improved bus services in your area? Do you think Phase 5a will have a positive effect on transport links between Dublin West/South West and North Kildare? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
