CONDuCTORS’ STAND

Buses contributing to an improved environment

A bus using electric power is what most environmentalists favour. But there are other environmental factors to take into consideration, such as taking cars off the road and reducing traffic congestion. But for this to happen bus travel must be attractive and easy to obtain, to encourage people out of their cars.

Last month, the plan to launch ‘Bus Connect’ was given the green light by Government. Regular commuters and the traveling public are about to get more options, with an increase in bus routes and schedules in particular. By 2030, it is envisaged that there will be 230km of bus corridors in Dublin and the replacement of all Diesel buses by 2035 with zero emission vehicles .

There is no doubt that this is a big project and the scale cannot be under estimated. Before a bus is purchased or a sod is turned on a new hub or depot there is a planning process to be completed, nonetheless, the National Transport Authority (NTA) expects that all corridors will be in place by 2030. It is estimated that the total project will cost in excess of €3 billion. After the announcement of the project, Anne Graham, CEO, NTA stated that Bus Connect will be a game changer offering improved reliability and more frequency.

A large part of the plan is improved ticketing, allowing commuters to use various platforms for payment and the eventual removal of cash.

A key aspect of Bus Connect is to increase services by 23% and extend some routes to 24 hour service. With the introduction of new routes, an extra 16% of commuters will live within 400m of a bus stop. So the question is, will we be able to attract people out of their cars and into buses?

Eamon Ryan, the Transport Minister and Green Party Leader is focused on the environment and the need to stop climate change, therefore his, and his party’s support on this is to be expected. While all politicians are signed up to green policies, some may not be as committed to it. Maybe they should narrow their focus and try and get more people to use the bus in every aspect of their lives. A bus fulfils two main criteria for reducing the impact on the environment. As the bus itself reduces emissions, there is a contribution to the improvement of air quality. This is happening already, it is estimated by the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Transport (SMMT) in the UK that it would take 50 engines of Euro 6 standard to produce similar emissions to that of a single commercial vehicle from the 1970s. So, while it may not be politically acceptable to go with that line, it still remains a fact.

A more important and possibly more difficult challenge is to try and move more people out of their cars and onto buses. Better to entice them than legislate them. While buses have improved, there is always room for improvement. Commuters may have little choice because of traffic congestion, but we need more of them on the bus to continue reducing emissions and congestion. If we look a little further to encourage people to use bus as a means for long distance travel, passengers have to have some certainty as to how far they will need to walk once the venue is reached. Will the bus be parked in a field at an open air concert, for example, where they will have to walk in mud up to their ankles? Croke Park and the Aviva Stadium are two big venues that need a coach park nearby. At the moment the Luas, serving Connolly station for the big matches and concerts, cannot cope with the big numbers arriving from Hueston station. It should really be a condition of hosting an event of any major significance that nearby coach parking is available.

Dublin Airport is another issue that needs solving with public transport as we all know. Last month it was announced by the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) that would be a charge to drop a passenger at Dublin Airport by car and this move is being dressed up as “helping climate change”. These type of pronunciations and actions are what give the climate change argument a bad name and devalue the campaign. People are suspicious of these actions and gouging the travelling public is counterproductive.

Bus Connect offers Dubliners and those who visit a great future. At a later stage it will be rolled out to other cities, but we must encourage more people on to the bus, for the benefit of us all. Text: Sean Murtagh - sean@fleet.ie

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