Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

I have been briefed by Dublin Bus on the strategic overview of the bus network review.

The objective of the redesign of the Dublin Bus network is to provide current and future bus customers with a service that will be modern, accessible, integrated, easy to understand, punctual and frequent.

The redesign, which will commence in July 2010 and proceed on a phased basis at two to three month intervals, will deliver real and tangible benefits to the vast majority of bus users. These benefits include: an improved traffic flow in the city centre; a doubling of the number of services with a frequency of ten minutes or better; 60% of customers will be served by high frequency services as opposed to 23% at present; a reduced layover of buses in the city centre resulting in improved traffic flows and an enhanced city centre environment; increased interchange opportunities with DART, and heavy and light rail; and more cross-city services.

The redesigned network will be supported by complimentary measures such as integrated ticketing and real-time passenger information.

These measures will result in the provision of high quality and efficient public bus services and reflect the commitment of the company to deliver better services at better value to the customer and taxpayer.

It is a matter for Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann, within the resources available to them from fare revenue and from the National Transport Authority for loss making public service obligation services, to decide on service levels and changes to services.

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