Lack of progress on public transport is lamented as quality bus sails past cars

WITH traffic congestion in Dublin costing estimated £1 billion a year, CIE is "totally frustrated" at the continuing delays in implementing measures to improve public transport.

Mr Michael McDonnell, its chief executive, said yesterday that less than half of the "minimal" programme recommended by the Dublin Transportation Initiative had been implemented.

"Unless we get dedicated priority road space for buses, we cannot provide the quality of service our customers deserve. We are totally frustrated within CIE and Bus Atha Cliath over the delays in implementing the quality bus corridors.

The CIE chief executive was speaking at the official opening of a quality bus corridor (QBC) from Lucan to the city centre. Since it began last June, passenger numbers on the 25A route have increased by 10,000 per week.

Mr Liam Walsh, chief executive of Dublin Bus, said it was the first QBC with a 24 hour bus lane along a large part of the route. This meant that bus passengers were able to travel faster than motorists.

The Minister for Transport, Mr Dukes, noted that it is 15 years since the first bus lane was established in Dublin. "The pace of development is far behind what's required to provide people with the quality of public transport we need," he said.

The DTI had recommended 11 QBCs, of which five were now in operation, and the objective was to have the rest in operation by the end of this year.

The introduction of QBCs gave bus travel some of the characteristics of rail travel, providing a fast, reliable, punctual service. They were a "quantum leap forward" from the traditional bus service and were another "building block" in the "new deal for public transport.

The unrestricted use of private cars was a major problem in Dublin. "Every day, 70,000 commuters make their way into the city in 52,000 cars, while a further 37,500 travel on just 984 buses. If they were to switch to cars, it would mean a mind boggling 28,000 extra cars.

Guests at yesterday morning's launch were given a tour of the bus lane during the rush hour. The bus practically sailed past hundreds of cars - almost all of them with just a driver on board.

At the official tape cutting ceremony, near Hermitage Golf Club, at least a dozen guests parked their cars on the bus lane to watch Mr Dukes cutting the yellow ribbon. The Minister himself, however, made sure to travel to the rain swept ceremony by bus.