BusConnects revise plans between Tallaght and Blessington

BusConnects have released revised plans for new bus routes through Tallaght, Ballycullen and Blessington.

A number of new services are due to be rolled out across the south Dublin area within the next 12 months as part of the Dublin Network Redesign Project from the National Transport Authority.

The implementation of the new network is being delivered in phases over a number of years, which started in 2021.

The NTA has revised plans for route A3 based on recent reviews of demand.

A-spine routes A1-A4 are set to launch in Autumn 2026, subject to operational readiness and funding and will replace current routes 54A, 65 and 65A.

Under the original plan Route A3 was to serve Blessington and Old Blessington Roads, terminating at Tallaght Square Shopping Centre.

It will now serve Firhouse Road and upper Ballycullen Road, running every 12 minutes.

Capacity along the Ballycullen Road will be doubled compared to the original plan.

This means that extra space will also then be available on new route A1 in Knocklyon, as some Ballycullen residents will use route A3. There is potential to later extend one of routes A1 / A3 into Ballycullen Gate.

The Blessington and Old Blessington Roads via Tallaght Village will be served every twenty minutes by new route 82, which will replace half-hourly route 54A in autumn 2025, and during peak-time journeys by new routes P43/P44 which will run between the Blessington area and the City Centre via Tallaght, Templeogue, Terenure, Rathgar and Rathmines.

The NTA said that these changes have been implemented as currently “there are around 2,500 passengers per typical weekday boarding route 15 in the Ballycullen and Knocklyon areas”.

“In comparison, approximately 350 passengers per day board routes 54a and 65 in Tallaght village and up to Spawell, and there are about 675 passengers per day getting on those routes in Tallaght town centre.”

“This means that the majority of passengers will benefit from the new arrangements.”

Other services changes due to be rolled out in coming weeks include the F1 via Firhouse, Kimmage and Harold’s Cross, replacing route 49, which will commence in October 2025 as part of the “F-spine” changes.