“West Dublin Bus Service Operating at Just One Third of Promised Capacity” -O’Gorman
Bus services totally inadequate for Hollystown, Hollywoodrath and Tyrrelstown areas
Dublin West TD Roderic O’Gorman has warned that residents in Hollystown, Hollywoodrath and Tyrrelstown areas of West Dublin are being left behind by a public transport system that simply cannot keep up with the area’s rapid growth. The Green Party Leader shared that his office is receiving messages almost daily from frustrated commuters in the area who are unable to get on overcrowded buses or who face long waits for services that often don’t show up on time.
“Over a thousand new homes have been built in Hollystown and Hollywoodrath since the BusConnects plan was first announced,” O’Gorman stated. “Yet bus services have barely changed. People are standing at stops for buses that are full before they even arrive. It’s completely unsustainable”.
Under the BusConnects plans, the area is supposed to receive a major uplift in services - the B3 route will run every 15 minutes to Blanchardstown and on into the city centre, while the current half hourly service to Broombridge Luas will also be maintained.
“The delivery of BusConnects, and particularly the B Spine, has been continuously pushed out, and we now know it won’t happen until 2027. The community in Hollywoodrath and Tyrrelstown has been patient, but as new housing developments in the area are being completed, buses become ever busier, and people are running out of patience,” stated O’Gorman.
A promised extension of the 40D Bus route north to Hollywoodrath has now been deferred for 6 months until March 2025, adding further frustration for commuters and limiting capacity growth in the area.
“We were told the delay was down to the need for extra drivers and buses, but this extension adds just 1.5 kilometres to the route and two additional stops. It’s hard to see how that justifies another six-month wait” Deputy O’Gorman shared.
Currently, the area is served by just three routes:
The 238 to Blanchardstown Shopping Centre, which runs only once an hour on a single-decker bus.
The 40E to Broombridge Luas, running every 30 minutes.
The 40D to the city centre, also every 30 minutes from Tyrrelstown.
By comparison, when BusConnects B3 route is fully rolled out, the Hollystown area will have capacity for around 570* passengers per hour - nearly three times the current level.
O’Gorman is calling on the National Transport Authority to bring forward the 40D extension immediately or, as an interim step, to increase the frequency of the 40E and 238 routes to give residents a reliable option.
“Residents in Hollystown, Hollywoodrath and Tyrrelstown can’t wait until 2027 for decent public transport,” he said. “They deserve the same access to reliable, frequent buses as any other growing community in Dublin.”