Go-Ahead Ireland
A Go-Ahead Wright Streetlite at the Liffey Valley Centre
ParentGo-Ahead Group
Founded9 September 2018; 5 years ago (2018-09-09)
HeadquartersBallymount, Dublin
Service areaDublin, Kildare
Service typePublic Transport Operator
Routes43
DepotsBallymount, Naas
Fleet140
Chief executiveDervla McKay
Websitewww.goaheadireland.ie

Go-Ahead Transport Services (Dublin) Limited, known as Go-Ahead Ireland is a bus operator in Dublin that commenced trading in September 2018. It is a subsidiary of the Go-Ahead Group.

History

With the aim of improving efficiency, in 2015 the National Transport Authority put the operation of 24 Dublin Bus routes out to tender.[1] In August 2017 the contract was awarded to the Go-Ahead Group.[2][3][4] This represented 10% of the incumbent operator Dublin Bus existing monopoly operated network.

Go-Ahead Ireland commenced operating one new route, 175 from Citywest to University College Dublin, on 9 September 2018.[5] A further four transferred from Dublin Bus on 7 October, then another three on 21 October, four on 2 December, nine on 20 January 2019 and a final three transferred on 24 March 2019. By this time the fleet had grown to 125 buses after taking over all the services that the company was scheduled to commence operation on.[6][7][8][9] The contract is for five years with an option for a two-year extension.[2][10][11]

On 26 July 2019 a second depot was opened in Naas in County Kildare. This depot is being used to manage a number of Dublin commuter coach routes which the company won the tender to operate, formerly operated by Bus Éireann, which were transferred to Go-Ahead between December 2019 and January 2020.

Routes

Dublin routes

Route Origin Destination Notes Start Date
33A Skerries or Balbriggan Dublin Airport or Swords Services operate as either
Skerries-Dublin Airport
or Balbriggan-Swords. 		2 December 2018
33B Portrane Swords 2 December 2018
45A Dún Laoghaire Station Kilmacanogue 7 October 2018
45B Dún Laoghaire Station Kilmacanogue As route 45A, but via Shanganagh Cliffs Estate. Once a day in each direction. 7 October 2018
59 Dún Laoghaire Station Killiney 7 October 2018
63 Dún Laoghaire Station Kilternan 7 October 2018
63A Dún Laoghaire Station Kilternan As route 63, but via Foxrock. Once a day in each direction. 7 October 2018
102 Sutton Station Dublin Airport 2 December 2018
104 Dublin City University Clontarf Road Station 20 January 2019
111 Dalkey Brides Glen Luas stop 21 October 2018
114 Blackrock Station Ticknock 20 January 2019
184 Bray Station Newtownmountkennedy 21 October 2018
185 Bray Station Enniskerry 21 October 2018
220 Dublin City University Mulhuddart 20 January 2019
220A Dublin City University Mulhuddart As route 220, but via Coolmine. Once a day in each direction. 20 January 2019
236 Blanchardstown Centre Damastown 20 January 2019
236A Blanchardstown Centre Damastown 20 January 2019
238 Tyrellstown Mulhuddart 20 January 2019
270 Blanchardstown Centre Dunboyne 20 January 2019
L51 Adamstown Station Liffey Valley Former route 239, introduced during Phase 2 of the BusConnects programme. 28 November 2021
L52 Blanchardstown Centre Adamstown Station Former route 239, introduced during Phase 2 of the BusConnects programme. 28 November 2021
L55 Palmerstown Village Chapelizod Introduced during Phase 5b of the BusConnects programme.[12] 26 November 2023
N6 Kilbarrack Finglas Former route 17A, introduced during Phase 3 of the BusConnects programme. 29 May 2022
S4 Liffey Valley Shopping Centre UCD Introduced during Phase 5b of the BusConnects programme. 26 November 2023
S6 Tallaght Blackrock Station Introduced during Phase 5b of the BusConnects programme. 26 November 2023
S8 Citywest Dún Laoghaire Mallin Station Introduced during Phase 5b of the BusConnects programme. 26 November 2023
W2 Tallaght Liffey Valley Shopping Centre Introduced during Phase 5b of the BusConnects programme, 26 November 2023
W4 The Square Tallaght Blanchardstown Centre Introduced during Phase 5a of the BusConnects programme. 25 June 2023
W61 Maynooth (Community College) Hazelhatch & Celbridge Station Introduced during Phase 5a of the BusConnects programme. 25 June 2023
W62 The Square Tallaght Newcastle (St. Finian's NS) Introduced during Phase 5a of the BusConnects programme. 25 June 2023

Dublin Commuter routes

Go-Ahead Ireland took over the operation of a further six routes from Dublin to Offaly, Laois, Kildare and Meath from Bus Éireann between December 2019 and January 2020. These are the 120, 120C, 123, 124, 126 and the 130. They started operating the 126 and 130 on 1 December 2019 which coincided with the introduction of new route 125 from Newbridge to UCD. They took over the 120 and 120C on 19 January 2020.[13][14]

Route 197

On 24 November 2019, Go-Ahead Ireland started operating route 197. This route is part of a separate contract with the NTA. It uses Alexander Dennis Enviro 200MMCs owned by Go-Ahead rather than the NTA as is the case on the Dublin city and commuter routes.

Fleet

Go-Ahead Ireland commenced operations with nine buses.[15] By the time it took over its final routes from Dublin Bus in early 2019, the fleet was scheduled to expand to 125 buses comprising 24 new Wright Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B5TLs and 40 Wright StreetLites, with 12 Wright Gemini 2 bodied Volvo B9TLs and 49 Wright Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B5TLs to transfer from Dublin Bus. It was later decided that an extra 12 double decker buses were required in order to be able to fulfill the full quantity of routes due to transfer. These buses were diverted from an order of Wright Gemini 3 Volvo B5TL buses originally meant for Dublin Bus bringing the fleet up to 133 buses. In 2022 Go-Ahead Ireland received 3 more Wright Gemini 3 Volvo B5TL buses from Dublin Bus and were numbered 11601 to 11603. These were former SG272, SG273 and SG275 of Dublin Bus Broadstone Depot. Go-Ahead Ireland use five digit and six digit numbers for fleet numbering with their 96 B5TLs being numbered from 11501 to 11593 and 11601 to 11603, 12 B9TLs are numbered from 11901 to 11912 and the 40 Streetlites are numbered between 12101 and 12140.[16] 9 former Dublin Bus AX class Volvo B7TL buses with Alexander ALX400 bodywork have been added to the fleet as additional buses. These were numbered 11701 to 11709 and were new to Dublin Bus as AX497 to AX505.[citation needed] Ten Mercedes-Benz Citaros and five Wright Gemini bodied Volvo B7TLs were transferred from Oxford Bus Company and Go-Ahead London as driver trainers. In March 2022 they received 3 former B5LH Wright Gemini 2 vehicles from Go-Ahead London also for driver training. These are numbered 8501 to 8503. In 2022 Go-Ahead took delivery of 3 Wright Streetlite's numbered 12141 to 12143. These vehicles are formerly owned by Metrobus in the UK and have replaced Enviro200MMC's numbered 2701 to 2703 on route 197 between Ashbourne and Swords. The 3 Enviro200MMC's were sold to Metrobus in exchange for the Streetlites. [17][18]

The Dublin Commuter routes are operated by a mixture of double deck VDL Futura coaches and Sunsundegui SB3 bodied Volvo B8R interurban buses.

Go-Ahead Ireland's Dublin City fleet is managed from its primary depot on the site of a former DHL Express depot in Ballymount. A second depot in Naas where the Commuter routes are based opened on 26 July 2019.[19]

In August 2020 Go-Ahead Ireland began operation of 8 new routes in North and West County Dublin. The fleet they use on these routes are nine ex-Dublin Bus 2006 ALX400 class buses formerly AX497-505 now they are numbered 11701-11709. They are currently operating on route 33S,102A/C/P/S,220S,236S&270S

See also

References

  1. ^ NTA to put bus routes to tender Dublin Gazette 5 February 2015
  2. ^ a b NAT Announces Go-Ahead as preferred bidder for bus routes in Dublin Archived 19 October 2018 at the Wayback Machine National Transport Authority 10 August 2017
  3. ^ Go-Ahead Group awarded Outer Dublin, Metropolitan Area bus contract Archived 20 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine Go-Ahead London August 2017
  4. ^ Dublin Bus loses control of 24 bus routes serving suburbs Archived 3 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine The Irish Times 10 August 2017
  5. ^ "First buses in Ireland run by British firm begin services". Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  6. ^ "Go-Ahead set to run two dozen outer Dublin routes" Buses issue 751 October 2017 page 7
  7. ^ Go-Ahead Ireland Opens New Depot in Dublin Archived 12 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine Go-Ahead Ireland 9 July 2018
  8. ^ This is what buses will look line on 24 Dublin bus routes later this year Archived 27 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine TheJournal.ie 9 July 2018
  9. ^ Go-Ahead gears up for Autumn schedules Archived 30 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine Go-Ahead Ireland
  10. ^ Dublin Bus loses control of 24 bus routes serving suburbs Archived 3 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine Irish Times 10 August 2017
  11. ^ Go-Ahead awarded outer Dublin metropolitan area bus contract Archived 11 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine Coach & Bus Week 10 August 2017
  12. ^ "Phase 5b Southern Orbitals - Transport for Ireland". Transport for Ireland. November 2023.
  13. ^ "Go-Ahead awarded Dublin Commuter Routes" Coach & Bus Week issue 1334 20 March 2018 page 8
  14. ^ Go-Ahead wins second Dublin contract Route One 20 March 2018
  15. ^ "Go-Ahead Ireland starts operating service 175" Coach & Bus Week issue 1359 11 September 2018 page 12
  16. ^ "Go-Ahead Ireland to use Wrightbus fleet" Coach & Bus Week issue 1349 3 July 2018 page 7
  17. ^ "Fleet News" Buses issue 760 July 2018 page 91
  18. ^ "Fleet News" Buses issue 762 September 2018 page 91
  19. ^ UK bus group Go-Ahead gets green light for depot The company also has outstations for Dublin City routes in Dublin Airport for routes 33a, 33b and 102 and for Dublin Commuter routes in Edenderry.Archived 27 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine Irish Independent 16 February 2018
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