Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

79. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for an update on the upgrade of real-time tracking of Dublin Bus services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63502/25]

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I ask the Minister of State for an update on the upgrade of real-time tracking of Dublin Bus services through a new national automatic vehicle location system, which was due to start testing this year, roll-out next year and be completed in early 2027 to improve customer communications, particularly around ghost buses.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Deputy for her question and for her ongoing engagement on the matter of Dublin Bus services. Like her, I am eager to see improvements in real-time tracking, not just of Dublin Bus services, but nationwide across the whole public service obligation, PSO, fleet. The Dublin Bus automatic vehicle location system feeds information to the bus operator's control room, TFI Live app and on-street signs. It dates from 2009. A new automatic vehicle location system is due to be rolled out initially on Dublin Bus and Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin city buses. I expect this will lead to significant performance improvements and improved quality of information for bus passengers.

The NTA is currently in the system-testing phase of the project. As the system is very large and complex, this activity will continue and will be repeated as necessary until the NTA is satisfied that features work as intended and that all major defects are resolved, in order for the NTA to be confident that the solution is fully functional and sufficiently robust to be installed on buses. Subject to the systems successfully passing the detailed testing phases that are under way, a pilot implementation is scheduled to commence early next year. Assuming no issues are found during the pilot, full roll-out on buses in Dublin and other cities will commence next year. The roll-out should be complete in early 2027. In total, approximately 1,800 buses nationwide will have to have the new system installed on them. This is part of a wider effort to update vehicle tracking infrastructure across the PSO fleet and to improve public bus systems through BusConnects in our cities, which will improve both the accessibility and reliability of our bus system, particularly through the construction of core bus corridors.

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The TFI app has a star rating of 1.4 in the app store, and that is pretty damning. The Minister of State might remember that the last time we were here, we exposed that in one year, 2022, only €97 was spent enhancing Dublin Bus services in Dublin West. Since then, I have had a commitment that €700,000 will be spent in 2025 on addressing capacity and punctuality issues on routes 39A, 37 and 38. I had previous commitments here about route 70. That investment cannot come soon enough, and we actually need more now.

I welcome the confirmation that the new automatic vehicle location system will undergo a pilot. It had been mooted for this year, but now it is to be early next year, with the full roll-out thereafter. I would like to hear more information about that pilot. In what areas will it work, how will it work, and will customers be a part of it? I suggest using Dublin West. The new system can rebuild trust in the bus network, with no guesswork and no contradictions. Real-time information must mean real accountability.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

There is nothing on which I disagree with Deputy Currie regarding the matters she has raised. As she knows, the NTA has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including the development of real-time systems. The Deputy made a good point on the app. The rating is quite poor. To be fair to her and other Members, but her in particular, she has raised the matter repeatedly. I know from talking to people who work and live in Dublin that they are concerned about the lack of real-time information. I will ask the NTA to engage with the Deputy directly on the matters she has raised because, to be fair to her, she deserves an answer, as do the travelling public. If there is no reliability, what we are trying to do will fail completely, particularly in respect of engagement with customers.

As the Deputy knows, the NTA has awarded a contract to Trapeze to implement and support national automatic vehicle location for all PSO buses. I will ask it to engage with the Deputy also because it is important that the specialist transport systems company hear from users and public representatives articulating the frustration and views of the travelling public. We are seeing growing demand in public transport, but in tandem with that we need to see the app working because, as the Deputy knows quite well, if confidence in the app is lost, the whole system falls down. I will engage with the Deputy again.

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

If the Minister of State is engaging with the NTA, I would like specific answers about the pilot and how it is going to work. There are currently two issues: the forthcoming automatic vehicle location system and real-time information on the app. I was assured that the team was reviewing the end-to-end process of cancelling services on the current real-time passenger information system to see where improvements could be made. Apparently, there are six technical staff working collaboratively with a similar number of personnel from the transport operator. They are in regular contact. I would like to know what improvements have been made in 2025 regarding the communication of cancelled services. There is no point saying the system works well, which I hear in responses to my parliamentary questions, and that most people find it very useful if it leaves customers stranded on the side of the road expecting a bus when none is coming, with no explanation or apology. Sometimes, it is the last bus due that does not turn up, which is unacceptable when travelling alone and in the dark. So many young people contact me to say this is the case. It should be a simple ask to tell passengers if a service is not running, not just in the automatic vehicle location system but also in the current system.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

She has made a very fair point. The network redesign and delivery by the NTA has continued over the past four years. It has rolled out the sixth phase of the redesigned bus network in Dublin, which includes state-of-the-art ticketing and providing cashless and account-based ticketing across bus and other public transport networks. We have seen new bus liveries, standardising the exteriors and interiors of buses across bus operators, along with new bus stops and shelters, but also providing enhanced bus stops with better route, fare and timetable information.

I will certainly ask the NTA to come back to the Deputy on her point on real-time passenger information. If people have no confidence in real-time passenger information, we are at nothing, leaving the whole system to break down.

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

There is a rating of 1.4 on the app.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I fully concur that a rating of 1.4 on the app is not good enough. I know from my city, Cork, that people are concerned about buses not turning up, be it the late-night bus or the last bus, which the Deputy mentioned. We really have to improve on this. I will ask the NTA to engage directly with the Deputy.