NTA Asked To Cancel Contract With Go Ahead To Operate North Wicklow Bus Routes

Wicklow Sinn Féin TD John Brady has expressed serious concerns at the rollout of the new phase of the BusConnects network redesign.

Many of the new routes which are operated by Go-Ahead Ireland came into operation on January 26th have seen many issues with countless buses being cancelled or showing up late.

Deputy Brady has sought an immediate meeting with the National Transport Authority and for immediate action to be taken to address the many issues.  

Deputy Brady said

“Since the rollout of new phase (6a) of the BusConnects network redesign of bus routes in Wicklow on January 26th, significant issues have emerged, particularly with the L1, L2, L3, L15, and 45A routes, all operated by Go-Ahead Ireland.

Buses are frequently late, cancelled, or fail to show up, causing children to be late for school, workers to miss work, and individuals to miss critical medical appointments.

Last year, I expressed serious concerns when Go-Ahead was awarded the license to operate these routes, given their previous track record in Wicklow. Regrettably, these concerns have proven valid. Go-Ahead has had many months to ensure they possess the capacity and capability to operate these routes effectively.

Their failure is now adversely affecting the daily lives of those who depend on these services. If Go-Ahead is experiencing capacity issues, they must address them immediately. Alternatively, the National Transport Authority (NTA) should revoke Go-Ahead’s license and reassign these routes to Dublin Bus, which is better positioned to provide the reliable service that residents deserve.

Additional problems have arisen with the new X1 and X2 routes, leading to significant delays and overcrowding for passengers. Safety concerns have also been identified at the new bus termini in Bray and Greystones that should have been identified and addressed before the bus routes commenced."