On The Move - 98FM On The Move

On this episode of 98FM's On The Move, we chat with Kevin Carter from the Dublin Commuter Coalition. The group have released their General Election Manifesto with key topics they feel are important for the capital.

As Dublin gets its first two 24-hour bus routes, we chat to Donal Keating, operations manager at Dublin Bus.

Donal tells us about routes 15 and 41, what type of service is being rolled out and what this means for the Nitelink network.

We also hear about nine new hybrid vehicles which have joined the Dublin Bus fleet.

In 2017, The National Transport Authority launched Bus Connects, an ambitious €2bn plan to change how Dubliners use the bus to get from A-B. Many bus passengers say it’s long overdue, with confusing route numbers, meandering routes and a complex fare structure making the simplest of journeys a struggle. For others, they like how the bus network is, and whilst they admit it needs to improve, they are cautious about how it’s done.
Under the Bus Connects plans, the new network will be based around spines, a group of corridors labeled A to H, with a high frequency core branching out into individual routes. These spine corridors will be supported by a new range of orbital services, local routes and additional “lifeline” routes connecting local areas with the city.
When the NTA released the first draft of their plans they were met with opposition. Resident groups across the city expressed anger at the prospect of losing their local route, bus driver unions took to social media to express their concerns, and politicians organised meetings to discuss the plans for their constituents. The Bus Connects team held 33 public events to explain the plans to the public and asked for feedback.
Almost 50,000 people submitted feedback, and in October 2019, the NTA released revised plans for the bus network. Grainne Macken, head of communications with Bus Connects, joins us on our latest podcast to update us on the plans.

As commuters look for better ways to get around the city, we're taking a look at three alternative modes of travel.
Electric Scooters: With a public consultation underway on the use of electric scooters, we chat to Garry Grace from Skoot.ie about the rise in e-scooting in the capital.
Bike Sharing: Following on from the hugely successful Dublin Bikes sharing scheme, Hugh Cooney from Bleeper Bike explains why more commuters are using their service as part of their journey.
Car-Sharing: Europcar Mobility Group carried out a survey which found many motorists are considering changing how they use their vehicle. We speak to Colm Brady who explains how their GoCar model offers an alternative.
And, we hear from Barry Kenny from Irish Rail on a new initiative to make the morning DART commute a bit easier with Peaktime.ie

For three days this summer, Dublin City Council will trial a traffic-free College Green.

To find out what these test days will mean for bus users and pedestrians, we spoke with Brendan O'Brien from Dublin City Council.

In 2027, Dubliners will make their first journey on the capital’s first Metro Line. 30 new Metro trains will operate through 15 new Metrolink stations, carrying up to 50 million passengers per annum.
On this podcast episode, we discuss Metrolink with Paolo Carbone, Head of Public Transport Capital Programmes at Transport Infrastructure Ireland. We find out about the route, the trains, and what the plans are for the Green Line Luas.