Bus Éireann Launches €18m Cork Development Plan
Bus Éireann today announced details of a major €18m development plan which has the potential to transform public transport for customers in Cork. The announcement was made by Minister Micheal Martin TD at 12.00hrs, today Thursday May 10th in the Clarion Hotel in Cork.
A significant increase in buses, routes and departures for the Cork Metropolitan Area is planned by Bus Éireann. The development plan is underpinned by Transport 21, the government’s ten year infrastructure investment programme, and also by CASP, the Cork Area Strategic Plan.
Bus Éireann is also exploring the feasibility of introducing bus trams to Cork City and revealed details of its current feasibility study at the event.
- Key Improvements Planned-
The key improvements in the Bus Éireann Cork Development Plan include:
Speaking at the launch, Mr Joe Fitzgerald, Bus Éireann Regional Manager South said:
“New buses provided to Bus Éireann under Transport 21 will enable us to deliver, in a short time frame, significant and tangible improvements for our customers in the Cork Metropolitan Area. The frequency of existing bus services is set to improve and new routes to growing areas will also be added to the Cork bus network. These will be provided on a modern fleet of low floor wheelchair accessible, bio fuel compatible vehicles.”
New Buses and Coaches
Crucial to the full implementation of the Bus Éireann Cork Development Plan are the new vehicles the Company is seeking under Transport 21.
Bus Éireann plans for 2007 to 2009 are based on the introduction of 56 new buses to the Cork Fleet over the 3 year period - 36 replacement vehicles and 20 additional.
32 of these new vehicles (19 replacement and 13 additional) have been approved by the Department of Transport under Transport 21 and will be arriving within the next 12 months.
The Plan is underpinned by the introduction of these resources. The new vehicles will arrive on a phased basis, and service improvements will be introduced on a similar basis.
Services improvements are contingent on the provision of licenses.
All of the new vehicles will be low floor wheelchair accessible and will also be bio-fuel compatible.
New Cork City Bus Routes
New routes planned for Cork city include the provision of a new 10A service to run in parallel to the existing No 10. The 10A service will operate between the City Centre and Mahon Point, via Boreenmanna Road.
A new No 16 service will operate between the City centre/Rochestown/Mount Oval/Maryborough Hill.
City buses are currently on order by Bus Éireann and it is envisaged that these service improvements will be introduced in late 2007.
Enhanced existing Cork City and Suburban services
In line with the phased introduction of new vehicles, the next step will be to increase service frequencies on all the main existing city and suburban routes to meet the demand of the growing population. Existing routes will also be lengthened to provide services to a greater number of residential areas.
Frequencies will be boosted on City service such as the:
No 5 | service from CIT to Kent Station via the City Centre | |
No 7 | service from Ballyvolane/City Centre/Donnybrook | |
No 8 | service from Bishopstown/City Centre/Mayfield | |
No 14 | service from CUH/Togher/City Centre |
Existing routes will also be extended to cater for more areas and passengers. For example, the No 3 service from Ballyphehane/City Centre/Farranree will be extended to Lehenaghmore.
Similar frequency improvements will be introduced on Bus Éireann Cork Suburban services:
221 | Cork/Glanmire | |
222 | Cork/Carrigaline/Crosshaven | |
223 | Cork/Passage/Monkstown | |
224 | Cork/Blarney/Tower |
New Cork Commuter Services
242A: | Mallow Rail Feeder via Mitchelstown/Fermoy | |
243A | Cork/Whitechurch |
Enhanced Cork Commuter Services
231 | Cork/Macroom/Ballyvourney | |
This service will be extended to Kenmare morning and evening | ||
245 | Cork/Watergrasshill/Rathcormac/Fermoy | |
249 | Cork/Airport/Kinsale | |
261 | Cork/Midleton/Ballinacurra |
A New Town Service for Ballincollig
In addition a new town service (Route 229) is planned for Ballincollig, earmarked for introduction in 2009. The service will operate between the growing number of housing estates in the residential areas of Ballincollig and Ballincollig Town Centre, where customers can link with a high frequency service to Cork.
- Continued progress on Green Routes Vital to Plan -
Speaking at the launch Mr Joe Fitzgerald of Bus Éireann stressed the importance of the continued roll-out of the Green Routes if the full value of the investment in public transport is to be realized.
He stated: “For the full benefits of the type of investment we are discussing to be realised, a continued commitment to implementing the vital supporting infrastructure, such as Green Routes is very important.
Bus Éireann in Cork works on a partnership basis with Cork City Council, Cork County Council and An Garda Siochana; and 6 of the proposed 10 Green Routes outlined in the Cork Area Strategic Plan (CASP) will be in place by the end of 2007.
The Green Routes which are in place on certain city routes are shortening journey times for customers and are encouraging more people to use public transport. The solution to the problem of gridlock is twofold - not just the provision of buses - but also Green Routes. Together they are the only effective means of speeding up public transport, giving buses that vital head start which will encourage people out of their cars. I am delighted that Cork is leading the way in regard to the implementation of Green Routes.
The Bus Éireann Cork Development Plan - the Key Benefits
The Bus Éireann Expansion represents a €18 million investment and development package for public transport in the Cork Metropolitan Area and is underpinned by vehicles to be provided to Bus Éireann under Transport 21, the government’s ten year transport and infrastructure investment programme.
‘Bus Rapid Transit’ & Bus Trams
At the launch of the Cork Development Plan, Bus Éireann revealed it is currently examining the potential for the introduction of ‘BRT’ (Bus Rapid Transit), commonly known as ‘bus trams’ which are popular in the US, Canada and in a growing number of European cities.
Bus Trams are regarded as suitable for operation in smaller sized cities.
Bus Éireann is at present exploring the feasibility of operating bus trams in Irish cities including Cork and intends to enter some vehicles into service on a trial basis this summer.
What are bus trams and what can they deliver?
Bus trams are a bus/tram hybrid vehicle capable of delivering a high quality tram-style service in terms of capacity and reliability, coupled with the far lower costs associated with manufacturing and running buses.
The attractiveness of Bus Rapid Transit lies in its potential to deliver a very high frequency service at a fraction of the cost of designing building and maintaining a full-scale tram system.
Quality stations and ‘bus stops’ are provided at frequent intervals along the route featuring Real Time Passenger Information (RTPI), so customers know what time the next service is due.
Bus Trams: the Benefits
The cost of bus trams versus conventional trams systems is impressive
Low construction costs, low maintenance costs
Bus trams - ideal for medium sized cities
BRT is regarded by transport experts as the ideal public transport solution for small to medium sized cities. The system is currently in operation in Eindhoven in the Netherlands which has a population of 550,000.
BRT is being successfully introduced in a growing number of cities internationally including Edinburgh in Scotland, Ottowa in Canada and Brisbane in Australia.
Bus Éireann Cork - Notes for Editors
Thursday, 10th May, 2007