Tuesday 10 March 2009

Waiting for the bus that never comes.


Just a small bit of musing here. Gombeen Man was driving out towards Navan the other day (don't ask), and was surprised to notice a 24-hour bus lane on a stretch of the N3, north of Dunboyne.

Correct me if I am wrong, but is it true that we have no 24-hour buses serving these lanes? I have just had a look at the CIE website - which is a mystery in itself - but can see no mention of a 24-hour bus service to Dunshaughlin, Navan or Kells. From what I can make out the last Bus Eireann service outbound ends before you’d have time for a decent post-work couple of pints before heading for the sticks.

Why then, make a whole lane of road redundant by banning cars from it 24/7? Is there some logic at work here that I can’t quite figure out? Is there some master plan to expand the bus service? No… they are looking to cut back in that regard, aren’t they? Nice one, John Gormley.

If someone can enlighten me, I’ll be grateful.

In the meantime, have a look at Sven's Crazy Irish Traffic Signs for some pics of inappropriate signage in our little banana republic.

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6 comments:

Bernd said...

Mate, even in Dubbelin City the 24/7 bus lanes are a joke ... at least at times where only the occasional Nightlink, some taxis and the guards on their way to a hot cuppa pass through/

Mind you, not all is madness on the N3 - while there is a 24/7 lane at "Sheaf of Wheat" (that's "near Dunboyne" etc.pp.), further along the bus lanes are not 24/7 ... like ... between Blanchardstown and Phibsboro.

Makes sense, eh?

The Gombeen Man said...

You'd wonder what half-wits make these decisions, Bernd. You'd swear we had the best public transport system in Europe (instead of the worst, compared with any country I've spent any time in, with the exception of India) to look at the amount of road they dedicate to it!!

Anonymous said...

RE: Roadsigns more madness..........

http://www.castlebar.ie/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=14617

http://peterjordan.castlebar.ie/roadsigns.html

The Gombeen Man said...

Thanks for those links, Anon. You are providing a public service there. Great stuff!

Anonymous said...

Ah but the "Bus" lanes are also used by Taxi's, Bikes and that guy who bought a taxi licence just so he could drive in the Bus lanes.......

(Hey dont shoot me I never said it was right damnit)

The Gombeen Man said...

True. That was Michael O'Leary, wasn't it?