Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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Mr. Gaston mentioned earlier that there were problems with the running times on the C spine, but it was the opposite, in that they were too long. It seems to me that there is a problem with how these running times are calculated. Is the NTA looking at reforming or improving that process?

I agree with some of the comments made by Deputy Bríd Smith, in particular when we see the messiness around setting the running times, recruiting the drivers, providing the buses and then it goes back to someone else to set the timetable. It is no wonder that mistakes are being made when there are two or three agencies trying to resolve the problem. Will the NTA push ahead with the roll-out of the spines without the core bus corridors facilitating the spines to run smoothly? That was a questionable decision. Will the NTA be looking at improving the running time and consulting more with the drivers who are perhaps the experts on running times because they are the ones driving the buses?