Following a motion of mine at the Area Committee meeting, Dublin Bus
sent two representatives to the November Meeting of the Area Cttee. to
discuss the bus services around the Howth peninsula.

There was a good discussion, but no firm results.  Dublin Bus will
get back to the Councillors in relation to the suggestions made. Minor changes discussed

• the 1640 31B from town going around the hill down to Howth Dart Station to facilitate students getting home from Sutton Park.
• 31B service on Saturday evenings (currently the last bus from the Summit is at 1740.
• linking the 31C timetables to the Dart timetables.
• running the 31 via Offington and Greenfield Rd. to bring it closer to people living in Strand Rd. and uphill from it.

Major changes discussed

• A dedicated bus around the peninsula linking in to the Dart
  through the day, especially when it’s most needed in the morning and
  evening rush hours
• Extending the 17A which current runs from Finglas to Howth
  Junction to run through Sutton Cross and around the hill to
  Howth.  This would provide a bus link to both Howth Dart station
  and to Howth Junction (which has more trains). It would also facilitate
  access without a change from Howth/Sutton to Coolock, Santry, Ballymun,
  and Finglas, getting you within walking distance of Beaumont Hospital
  and DCU, as well as enabling interchange with most Northside bus routes
  without going into the city centre.  Conversely it would give
  access to the natural amenities of the Hill of Howth to a large section
  of the population of Dublin.  The 17A is run by a different garage
  (Harristown) to the 31( Clontarf) sowill have to be discussed within Dublin Bus.

Additionally, it was pointed out to Dublin Bus that Fingal County
Council has been putting some money into the local bus service in
Balbriggan and if (a real if) there is parking revenue in Howth some
could be used to fund improvements in bus services.  

Also, Dublin Bus expressed concern about their inability to use the bus
space in front of Howth Dart Station.  It was pointed out that
this is marked bus space and parking should be enforced at this
location.  Having used this as one of the reasons to stop the 31B
at the Summit, they are now using the Dart Station as a terminus for
the 31C.  A number of people locally, including myself, want to
see the area in front of the station as an open, welcoming plaza,
rather than an obstacle course for pedestrians accessing the station
and hopefully this can be included in Fingal’s traffic management
proposals.

Unfortunately, I have noticed since the meeting that they are parking
the 31C on the road outside the Dart Station, where it blocks road
users view of both the traffic lights and of pedestrians starting to
cross the  road.  I had already raised the danger of bus
stops being located like this (the stop at Howth Library is the same)
with the Transport Department who agreed it wasn’t safe.  Using
this stop as a terminus rather than a stop is much worse and I will
raise it with Dubliin Bus directly.

Dublin Bus is examining these options and will respond.