Driver shortages have caused the roll out of new BusConnects routes in north Dublin to be delayed by up to six months.
BusConnects Phase 3 was expected to be implemented in January but has been pushed back and is now "likely to be rolled out late in Q2."
A National Transport Authority spokesman told Dublin Live that driver shortages was worsened by a Covid-19 related reduction of capacity in Dublin Bus' driving school.
They said the situation is now easing as Dublin Bus have "been recruiting and training drivers in recent weeks".
The spokesman said that the NTA is "confident of implementing Phases 3, 4 and 5 this year, starting with Phase 3 which is likely to be rolled out late in Q2."
Phase 3 of Bus Connects will serve northside communities and will see the 17A partly replaced by two new orbitals, the N4 and N6.
When running, these orbitals will operate in north Dublin with a Monday-Saturday frequency of every 10 minutes.
On Sundays, they will be every 15 minutes during the day and every 20 minutes in the evening.
The N4 will travel from Spencer Dock Luas stop to Blanchardstown Shopping Centre and will serve Killester, Whitehall, DCU, Finglas, and Connolly Hospital.
The N6 will go from Kilbarrack to Finglas Village, and will serve Coolock, Beaumont, and Ballymun.
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