Madam, - Michael Boyle (January 5th) comments on the suitability of the planned new CIÉ/Bus Éireann transport interchange in terms of its location adjacent to Connolly Station and the IFSC.
He suggests coaches should terminate at rail and Luas stations with passengers transferring at such locations to travel onwards to Dublin city centre, to avoid gridlocked streets.
The Bus Éireann view is that such a suggestion, if implemented, would be detrimental to customers who naturally prefer to travel direct to the city centre without the inconvenience and additional time involved in transferring to another mode of transport.
The solution to the problem of congestion is the provision of enhanced bus priority measures such as bus lanes - not terminating services at the outskirts of the city where customers do not want to go.
Buses are the mainstay of the public transport system in Dublin, the Greater Dublin Area and throughout the county. They contribute to the reduction of congestion and need to be facilitated.
Bus Éireann commuter services in the Greater Dublin Area have grown by nearly 300 per cent in the past six years and Busáras is now effectively operating at capacity, with 800 departures and arrivals per day. The planned new hub in the IFSC will facilitate a further expansion in bus and coach services for the next generation of commuters.
The new station will be a major interchange enabling public transport users to move between Bus Éireann commuter services, long-distance services at Busáras, Dublin Bus services, the Dart and mainline rail services at Connolly, the Interconnector tunnel planned under Transport 21, the new Docklands rail station and the Luas.
This site is ideal in terms of integrated public transport provision, its location in the IFSC and proximity to the developing North Docklands.
It is also worth noting that the project will not cost the taxpayer but will be self-financing through the inclusion of commercial and residential components. - Yours, etc,
ERICA ROSEINGRAVE, Manager, Media and Public Relations, Bus Éireann, Broadstone, Dublin 7.