10/01/2026
DUBLIN BUS – YOUR ISSUES NOW (HOPEFULLY) ON THE TABLE FOR MONDAY
[edited to add, SDCC confirmed we will also get a chance to meet NTA in the coming weeks, so I will bring these issues forward at that meeting also]
*scroll down for the full list of issues that I submitted today for the Dublin Bus meeting.
Huge thanks to everyone who replied to my shoutout yesterday for issues you're experiencing with Dublin Bus services, at very short notice. The level of detail you sent; routes, stops, times, missed buses, full buses, school issues, etc. was extremely useful.
Despite all Councillors being notified late about this meeting, I’ve pulled your replies together and submitted a comprehensive list of the problems people in Lucan and Adamstown are facing with Dublin Bus.
I’ll have very limited speaking time on Monday, so we have to be realistic about what this one meeting can do, but I’m absolutely determined to push for better reliability, capacity, real-time accuracy, and proper services for students travelling to school, as is Paul Gogarty TD who is working on issues at a local and national level directly with NTA.
Thank you again for your responses at such short notice and I will report back afterwards.
SUMMARY OF CONSTITUENT ISSUES REGARDING BUS SERVICES IN THE GREATER LUCAN AREA:
- Insufficient frequency on key Lucan/Adamstown routes
Route 52 only hourly; request for 30-minute frequency (to Intel/Dublin)
L51 requested every 30 minutes (better connectivity to Lucan Village and Liffey Valley)
P29 currently peak-only; request for additional morning and evening services
Large number of parents reporting that L54 frequency insufficient at school times (Confey College / Leixlip)
- Reliability problems – cancellations, “ghost buses”, and non-arrivals
Large number are reporting that buses disappearing from the TFI app without explanation
“Scheduled” status used instead of delay/cancellation notices
Route 52 repeatedly not showing up (examples at Woodview, 08:40 service)
L54 cancellations around school start/finish times causing lateness and detentions
Weekend cancellations affecting workers
Examples of buses arriving significantly early (e.g., L54 08:06 at Penny Hill)
- Overcrowding and buses passing stops full
Large number reporting that C1, C2, C3, C4 frequently full before Penny Hill, Willsbrook, Lucan Village
Full buses passing Lucan Retail Park/Woodies without stopping
Express X30/X31/X32 sometimes skip stops despite reported spare seats
Students for Confey College and St Joseph’s regularly left behind (Ballyowen Road, Foxborough, Penny Hill)
- School transport problems – Confey College focus
L54 overcrowded and cancelled around 07:30–08:30 inbound to Leixlip
Inadequate capacity after school at Riverforest/Leixlip stops
Requests for specific extra L54 school-time buses (07:45, 08:00, 08:15, 08:30 etc.)
Suggested extra afternoon services at 14:35/14:45 and 16:05/16:15
Parents report having to drive students due to unreliability
Students walking extra stops to board because nearby stops are full
- Loss of Route 25 (Dodsboro / Hillcrest / Adamstown areas)
Strong request for reinstatement of 25 to Dodsboro Road/Dodsboro Cottages and extension of this service
Current services require two buses into city centre
Journey time increased from ~35 minutes to over an hour using C2
Large population of elderly residents particularly affected
- Capacity and journey time issues into and out of city
Multiple full buses passing quays in evening peak
Journeys of 1 hr 30–1 hr 40 mins for ~10km journeys
C3/C4 arriving to Lucan Village already full when inbound to city
- Real-time information and app problems
TFI app showing buses “due” that are not operating
Need for cancelled buses to be clearly labelled as “Cancelled”
Buses disappearing from app at last minute
Specific issue: RTPI sign broken at Chalet Gardens, Lucan since October
- Route-specific service problems reported
52: unreliability, missed journeys toward Intel and Dublin
L51/L54: unreliability and cancellations
C1/C2: missing buses on app and capacity issues
S4 from Liffey Valley occasionally not turning up
X30 highlighted as unreliable, “scheduled” but often not arriving
- Connectivity gaps
Lack of direct Lucan–Airport service (request for Aircoach-type route)
No direct links to Red Cow Luas or Clondalkin
Isolation of Lucan despite commuter population
Request for west-to-south orbital route (Adamstown/Lucan to Sandyford/Central Park via Tallaght)
Adamstown–school routes and local circulation
Heavy student use of C2/C3/C4 causing crowding
Suggestions that buses along Griffeen Road should turn left toward Penny Hill/N4/Woodies
Request for dedicated school services (Lucan East ETNS, Kishoge, Griffeen schools)
Congestion noted at Thomas Omer Way and Riverforest stops
- Weekend frequency and evening frequency concerns
C1/C2 weekend frequency too low, leading to overcrowding
Workers travelling evenings/weekends particularly impacted
Airport and north Dublin connectivity
Large number of requests for Lucan/Adamstown–Airport bus service
- Passenger experience and safety
Reports of poor driving (hitting paths/roundabouts)
Antisocial behaviour reported, including vaping/hash use on buses
Occasional reports of hard braking driving technique by some drivers that is making passengers, especially those with disabilities / older, quite nervous.
[Working with Paul Gogarty TD ]
