The Bus Eireann Donegal-Dublin route has been brought before the Dáil by a Cavan TD.
Deputy Pauline Tully says the bus stops in Cavan, and is chronically late.
She asked Transport Minister Eamonn Ryan what measures were being put in place to see this rectified.
Deputy Tully says a couple who rely on the service in her constituency for the airport never arrive on time:
Bus Éireann Response
Bus Éireann acknowledges the concerns raised regarding the efficiency and reliability of the 30 and X30 Expressway services connecting Cavan and Dublin Airport. We are deeply committed to providing a high-quality, dependable service to our customers and the communities we serve.
As Bus Éireann’s Expressway is a commercial service operating without state subvention, any enhancements are implemented based on commercial viability to ensure we continue delivering reliable transportation for our passengers.
In 2024 to date, we have proudly delivered over 98% of our services on Route 30. We greatly value our customers’ feedback, which has been instrumental in helping us identify areas for improvement. Through continuous monitoring and listening to our passengers’ helpful input, we recognised an opportunity to enhance Route 30.
At the beginning of 2024, we conducted a comprehensive internal review based on customer feedback and punctuality data and in February 2024 we proactively applied to the National Transport Authority for an improved timetable to better align with the needs of our customers and the communities along this route.
Due to the unique nature of Route 30, which traverses an international border, the timelines for consideration of such applications are extended. This is primarily because of the necessary considerations and approvals required from both the National Transport Authority and the relevant authorities in Northern Ireland.
We are pleased to announce that the National Transport Authority has now approved our request for a license amendment as of October 7th. It is worth noting that during the application process, local authority adjustments required alterations to our original proposal. With these adjustments now incorporated, we are moving forward to the implementation stage. While these local authority modifications will add some time to the implementation of the changes, we remain on track to roll out the new, improved timetable in the coming months.
The new timetable will increase the frequency of services at certain stops along Route 30, offering enhanced connectivity for our customers. Additionally, we have made adjustments to create a more realistic and dynamic timetable, which we believe will benefit customers planning ahead and using our services for important engagements such as hospital appointments and onward travel from Dublin Airport.
While we strive to maintain punctuality currently, we always advise our customers to plan to arrive at Dublin Airport at least three hours before their scheduled flight to accommodate any unforeseen delays such as traffic, roadworks, or other incidents.
We remain dedicated to continuously improving our services to meet and exceed the expectations of our customers and the communities we serve.
