‘Urgent need’ for better transport infrastructure

“It gives the impression that we’re somewhere of lesser standing.”

Lucan councillors have written to the National Transport Authority to highlight the “urgent need” for better transport infrastructure and the council is expected to meet with the transport body in the New Year.

Concerns have been raised about the level of public transport available in the area, from ghost busses to people wating at stops for too long and busses being too full by the time they reach the village.

Councillor Liona O’Toole does not feel that the NTA have done enough with Lucan’s bus network to meet the growing and unique demands of the location.

Cllr O’Toole said: “The NTA’s position up to now and from a lot of my correspondence and phone calls is that they will only meet with Oireachtas members and not local councillors…

“…We are the only town in the county, actually in the country, that’s surrounded by two of the largest strategic development zones and our network simply hasn’t been designed or managed to meet that level of growth to date.”

The Lucan representative cited the P29 service from Adamstown Station towards Ringsend Road as a route that is in need of improvement.

The bus runs along the N4 and on the N4’s slip-road and Cllr O’Toole noted that it was “the only Lucan bus that goes along” the national road.

Only four departures each on either side of the route occur throughout the weekdays, with no services running for the route on weekends or bank holidays, per the route timetable.

“For a town the size of Lucan, the size of the population, that’s simply not adequate.”

The removal of several other services recently has been cited as a new issue that has cropped up in regards to Lucan’s transport woes.

Councillor Caroline Brady highlighted the removal of the 25 bus route has yet to have the gap it left in Lucan’s transport filled and has affected people in the Doddsborough region of Lucan.

The X30 was brought in to replace the route but only operates at peak times, like the P29.

Cllr Brady said: “The loss of that hasn’t really been adequately supported by the new services that are there.”

The local authority is expected to meet with the NTA in the New Year, who signalled to South Dublin County Council that they are open to doing so.

Part of the proposal between the two bodies’ meeting includes a high-level strategy visit from the NTA, which other county councils such as Fingal have previously received.

No official date has been set for the talks at the time of writing.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.