I may have started a thread on this subject some years ago on this board, but I cannot seem to find it now. So here goes again…
Route 65 had its extension to Dunard, County Wicklow (its most infrequent branch, most buses going to either Ballymore, Ballyknockan or being short trips ending at Blessington) over a number of decades. Without warning it was cut from the timetable (what else is new with DB). I was wondering, after that happened, if Bus Éireann had some kind of substitute service to that village—and they did not, the closest bus service stopping at the corner of the N81 and the road to Dunard.
So, this means that if by chance I have to find myself in Dunard, it’s either hire a car, hire a taxi or stick out the ould thumb. And people wonder why traffic in the Dublin area, as well as just about every urban-type area, is so bad…
BUSRAGE Discussions » Timetables and Routes
Route 65 to Dunard??
(3 posts)-
Posted 5 years ago #
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The service to Donard ran for many years as follows:
One journey mid-morning on Monday, Wednesday and Friday (dep city 10.10, return 11.45)
One Saturday afternoon journey (around 13.45 if I recall correctly)
One Sunday evening journey (dep city around 7.15, returning around 8.45 as I recall).
None of these would be used by regular commuters from Donard, as there was no return journey from the city - well, not unless you wanted to wait 2 whole days . . . ;-)
Equally you couldn't day-trip to Donard, as the bus would be there for only about 10 minutes.
I travelled on this service many times, sometimes for the spin, and sometimes as the nearest city route to the TMSI who where then at Castleruddery, about 20mins walk away (getting a lift back from friends).
The Donard trips usually either brought out, or back, large groups of hikers or scouts. However many times they were virtually empty from Poulaphoca onwards, and in every case, the last 7 miles or so was made at breakneck pace as no one ever got on or off between Poulaphoca and Donard.
It was withdrawn, then reinstated briefly, then withdrawn again due to low usage.
Now how on earth could they possibly expect it to have had proper usage without at the very least TWO journeys a day????
Steve
[posted by: Steve O'Shea]Posted 5 years ago # -
Whoops, got mixed up between Donard Co. Wicklow and Dunard off Blackhorse Avenue where the 172 goes, thanks for catching that…
You know, for all the years that they had the Donard service on the 65, did nobody even think of altering the timetable so that they would have journeys conducive to commuter useage…?? (Hmm, think a private operator would be interested in providing such a service? Yeah right—that’s a little too high of expectations from private operators…)Posted 5 years ago #
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