Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
THE DESIGN FOR buses along 24 privately-run public routes has been unveiled.
British transport company Go Ahead signed a contract to operate the routes in April and today unveiled both its buses and depot in Ballymount.
The bus livery is designed by the National Transport Authority, whose CEO Anne Graham told TheJournal.ie that the designs fit the NTA’s Transport for Ireland branding and don’t include much white as it’s difficult to clean.
The first Go Ahead buses will hit Dublin’s streets on 9 September when a new route – the 175 – will run from Citywest to UCD. The 45A, 75, 184, 63, 185, 111 and 59 routes will switch to Go Ahead from 7 October, with the 7A, 102, 33A, 220, 33B and 104 switching on 118 November. From 20 January next year the 18, 76, 239, 270, 238, 76A,236, 17, 114 and 161 routes will change.
However, the travel experience will stay largely the same for commuters, the company says.
Ed Wills, Managing Director of Go Ahead Ireland said:
There have been a number of announcements made in relation to changes to the transport landscape in Dublin recently and it’s important that customers using the existing routes know that the Leap Card and free travel cards can be used on all our buses; Real Time Passenger information will still apply, and fares will remain the same.
“The first difference people will see is that their bus will be operated by Go-Ahead Ireland and driven by our drivers. The second is the new Transport for Ireland livery which sports a blue, white and green design.”
All of the buses are similar to existing Dublin Bus stock, with many being transferred directly to Go Ahead and have on-board WiFi.
While some have voiced concerns that the transferring of the capital’s orbital routes to a private company was the beginning of privatisation, Graham says that’s not the case.
It’s not privatisation at all. The NTA will still be managing the routes, the fares, all of it. Go Ahead will provide services to our specifications.
“This will allow Dublin Bus to expand its services.”
The company was last year selected as the preferred bidder of the National Transport Authority’s (NTA) tendering process, which it said was carried out to compare and improve Dublin’s bus services.
The UK transport company was one of six applicants shortlisted during the application process.
After four applicants withdrew their bid because a bus depot would not be provided as part of the contract, the final decision was between Go-Ahead and the semi-State company Dublin Bus.
The value of today’s contract is €172 million over five years. This includes full mobilisation costs and the provision of depot facilities.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
The 1990s shell-suits called – they want their colour scheme back
Why can’t we go back to the traditional green buses?
@J. Reid: By the way, I very much support privatisation, as it will bring in much-needed competition and better service for commuters. But I don’t see why either the private or the state-run buses shouldn’t be painted in the traditional green colour. It was so much nicer than the anodyne colour schemes used on Dublin Buses these days.
@J. Reid: Rail users in the UK might not agree with you about privatization.
@J. Reid: nice idea …. I think a traditional green fleet would add a bit of style …… As long not that vile mustard colour that they introduced in the 80s
@J. Reid: Green is for pedestrians under the new colour by mode scheme by TFI
@J. Reid: The article states the NTA will still be managing the routes including fares so GoAhead will not be setting the price.
@J. Reid: better Services for commuters????
The problem with a glib remark like that is the NTA currently sets the timetable so the service level will be what they decide no because some foreign come is giving Irish taxpayers money to its shareholders and paying low wages
@J. Reid: Private running of state services means poor service and high profits for the owners and always higher prices. Waste is the perfect example
@Gary Kearney: Are you saying Public running of services means quality service?
@Gary Kearney: do you use the Luas at all Gary?
@J. Reid: Privatization in the U.K. has been a total disaster, they are looking to nationalize it again.
Hopefully the unions won’t ruin the service like they have tried to at Dublin Bus
@Dave Doyle: will their drivers be unionised? Private company.
@Dave Doyle: So you don’t like unions Dave…. You do know it’s not compulsory to join one. But those who do join find it more beneficial then a hindrance. Trying to improve workers rights and conditions might not sit easy with you. But those who are affected by such improvements will have a different perspective on unions.
@Joseph Blocks: No idea…but I hope not. Unions do operate in private companies not only the public sector
@Dave Doyle: So it’s ok for a private company to earn indefinite profit, whislt the workers, the back bone of the company don’t deserve an increase in wages?
@Paul Linehan: Maybe beneficial for the workers in the short term but in the long term, when they ruin the company, it is not. Do you remember how Aer Lingus was run for the benefit of the workers, it nearly went bust. As a member of the public I am interested in receiving the best and cheapest service I can. Old Aer Lingus versus new Aer Lingus…..I know which I prefer. If the unions are interested in running a company for their members why don’t they start a business and bid for the contracts? Then they can make their members their number one priority…..not sure the business will last too long though
@Lisa Byrne: Workers can open their own company and keep all the profits. Best of both worlds…total control of terms and conditions and all the benefits. Just a few risks in losing your house etc…..but hey that is what business owners the world over do
@Dave Doyle: Just for the record Dave… The best services don’t come cheap. Something or someone suffers when things are done cheaply. As for Aer Lingus, too many political appointments dragged that company down and in the end, the workers bailed it out.
@Paul Linehan: Yes Paul, zero accountability being one of them. 3 buses coming together only 2 stops from their starting point. Give me a break. They have plenty of rights, significantly more than their paying customers.
@Bewarethebeardz: You should take a trip to the Dublin Bus central control sometime and you will be enlightened as to why these things happen. Dublin traffic is at the point choking itself. Too many vehicles and not enough space for them. That’s the real problem that is encountered by the public transport system.
@Jayo Breathneach: Not everyone is up to speed with laws or workers rights. I agree that unions sometimes overstep the mark, as do employers on occasion. But the idea that all union members are a curse on society is nonsense. There are many unionized companies out there who thrive because of the good relationship built up between the employers and the employees through this avenue.
@Jayo Breathneach: do you think all those rights/benefits you currently enjoy will stay without those unions you dislike?
@Joseph Blocks: Siptu have sold their members in Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann down the river to take the Queens shillings from Go-Ahead
@Lisa Byrne: yes Lisa – the point being that private companies exist purely to make profit. Public companies exist to serve the public good.
@Stephen Adam:
Public companies exist to serve there own staff, no one else.
I know because I worked on one for sixteen years.
@P.J. Nolan: Hmmm…. Over the last few years semi state and public companies have gotten rid of most of the dead wood alright.
@Dave Doyle: Bold unions defending the members from exploitation.
“The travel experience will stay largely the same for commuters.”
Oh dear.
I can’t understand why money is being wasted on a new livery. London buses have many different operators for years now. But apart from the individual company logo, the standard red bus livery remains the same.
@Paul Linehan: We should have the old green bus design back.
@Daniel Donovan: Anything except the hideous green they were at one stage
@Paul Linehan: The livery will remain the same. DB services will be branded in the new NTA livery soon also. All public service transport is being branded in the NTA liveries. Train services for example will change to an NTA-branded orange scheme.
Long as our free travel cards work with the new route s I don’t mind
I can only imagine the fortune that was spent on the new design!
@Shane Zerbe: it’s a British company ! Read the story and try to keep up
@Nucky: so they get for free?
@Nucky: Read the story….the colour scheme was designed by the NTA, not the bus company. So bus companies in Dublin will have the same colour scheme. Do keep up 006!
@Nucky: Wrong, the whole bus fleet will be that colour.
Cool. Love the Leinster Rugby / Dubs vibe.
FG colours, what next a picture of Leo on back end of each bus to make up for his failed spin unit ?
Ha Ha” Go ahead ” it’s what you used to say to the conductors years ago
I don’t like multicoloured buses I think they should all be one colour like in the UK they paint the buses red. yellow would stand out better, white is nice too but like your man said in the article it’s hard to keep a white bus clean
These Buses should be Largely green and white with a little bit of orange somewhere ,British company dictating the colour scheme .obviously designed for the jackeens
@Anthony Gallagher: so the Jackeens dont know about Green, White and Orange??
@Anthony Gallagher: its actually Transport for Irelands Livery not go ahead.
@Sean Beinead: NTA /Transport for ireland branding and Livery.
@Anthony Gallagher: Jackeen!? How old are you, 12? And no, I’m not from Dublin in case you’re wondering, I’m a country boy born and raised.
@Mark Johnson: Of course not, where was the flag used again in 1916 oh thats right DUBLIN
Looks like The Aircoach is coming…
Does anyone know how much is being paid for the busses and who is going to maintain them?
Is there a plan to give away the bus garages too?
17A not 7A
I thought UK contracts binds with BriExit .. How do btc own the tender, why not any other EU countries participate….or win over?
Fine Gael privatisation agenda give a contract 3 per cent more expensive than Dublin Bus. Low wage drivers with uk company that lost multiple contracts for failures to run service. Win win for them all about profit not public services GO AHEAD see where service will be in five years. And then the labour backed union siptu sign a deal to represent them while negotiating their members in Dublin Bus into potential redundancy. The mind boggles. Roll on change government.
Jaysus, this country has a serious Fetish for wasting money.
The travel experience will remain the same for most customers…….crap in other words?!!
It’s the 17A not the 7A route.
No matter which way it dressed up The NTA is doing the governments work by privatization.our own Dublin Bus service by using British company.God save Ireland from a rush to the to the bottom in conditions of work.
Poxy looking…
@Alan Foley: did you say that in the public consultation?
Ww
thank god the colour was changed
have your say