Aircoach bus.
Photo: Kevin O’Gorman.
Aircoach have recently reviewed the Killiney to Dublin Airport Services route. Key elements of this timetable revision will see a change in the routing of the Killiney service, which will now operate via Ballsbridge.
This will result in an improved thirty-minute frequency, 24 hours per day, for customers on the section between Blackrock, St. Vincent’s Hospital, Ballsbridge, Grand Canal Dock and Dublin Airport.
The changes, which were effective January 1st, saw the Aircoach stops on Sean Moore Road and Strand Road being discontinued. This change affects residents of Irishtown, Ringsend and Sandymount in particular. Local woman Orla Murphy organised a petition calling for this route change to be overturned. At time of print it had received 869 signatures from concerned local residents and can be viewed on my.uplift.ie.
One such concerned resident Helena McDermott has said: “First our Post Office, now our Airport connection, what next? Why is this happening? 3,000 new homes are being built and all services being cut. What sort of planning is this? I would love to hear from our T.D’s now. I dare any of you, all of you to reply. What a mess!”
Local Fianna Fáil TD Jim O’Callaghan did react to the issue by releasing comments through his press officer: “By introducing these changes, residents will be forced to access the service from stops much further away, which for some will not be possible. Furthermore, Aircoach is the only service that is available through the night without locals having to resort to expensive taxis or excessive airport parking costs. I have written to management in Aircoach to request that they reconsider these changes and provide an explanation as to why these changes are being made. I hope a reasonable solution can be reached.”
In light of this feedback from the public, NewsFour contacted Aircoach for comment. Managing Director, Allen Parker, stated: “We review our route network on an ongoing basis and we will of course keep a close eye on future developments in the Ringsend and Sandymount area and the impacts these may have on future service development opportunities.
“We have taken the decision to introduce new timings and routing for the Killiney service with the objective of improving the attractiveness and reliability of the service. A consequence of this timetable revision is that the Aircoach stops at Sean Moore Road and the two stops on Strand Road, Sandymount will no longer be directly served. There are alternative stop locations for customers on the Merrion Road, Ballsbridge, Grand Canal Dock and 3 Arena Area, where an improved thirty-minute frequency service, 24 hours per day, will operate.
“As a commercial organisation, a key challenge is to balance limited resources and deploy these so as to provide the best service that matches customer demand.”
For the foreseeable future, then, there will be no provision made for those who used Strand Road and Sean Moore Road.
By Jessica Ellis
