The National Transport Authority (NTA) has said it intends to enter into a new contract with Go-Ahead Ireland despite “issues” with its services over recent weeks.
The NTA said it has issued a letter of intent to Go-Ahead Ireland to enter into a new contract from October following the completion of a “competitive tender process”.
The new contract includes for certain routes to be introduced as part of the BusConnects network redesign that will replace routes operated by Dublin Bus.
An NTA spokesman said it was “strengthening performance obligations” in all new contracts with bus operators by providing “minimum performance standards” on a route-by-route basis.
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Failure to meet such standards could result in a sanction while exceeding them could lead to “an incentive payment being made to the operator”, said the NTA.
Go-Ahead has come under criticism recently due to the problem of “ghost” or “disappearing buses”. Such buses refer to services displayed on real-time on-street screens and the TFI mobile phone app, saying a bus will arrive at a certain time, only for it to vanish from the screen/app or suddenly appear as cancelled.
The company said this was due to a combination of factors including a shortage of mechanics, leading to buses taking longer to service and reducing the number of active vehicles on the road at certain times.
Go-Ahead said it holds four contracts with the NTA, operating 36 routes across these. The majority of the routes (28), come under the Outer Dublin Metropolitan Area (ODMA) contract, which is set to expire in October.
In 2024, the bus operator began the bidding process for ODMA North and South, which encompasses routes within the Greater Dublin Area.
Go-Ahead said it was awarded lot three, which included ODMA North and South. It has signed a letter of intent to start operations in the fourth quarter of this year with a “phased-in mobilisation”.
“As part of the ODMA contracts, we have bid to operate several new services,” it said. “Go-Ahead Ireland currently operates some of these services, while others will be brand new and introduced through various phases of the BusConnects network redesign. Additionally, some of the routes are currently operated by another transport operator.”
Dublin Bus said it engaged with the initial phases of the ODMA routes tender process, “carefully assessing the opportunity in line with our strategic business priorities”.
“Following this evaluation, we made the decision not to proceed with a tender bid,” it said.
“Our focus remains on delivering a high-quality, reliable and sustainable bus service for the people of the Greater Dublin Area. We will continue to work closely with the NTA and all stakeholders to deliver growth and enhance bus services across the public transport network.”
Meanwhile, bus drivers have raised concerns about the “value for money” taxpayers are receiving under the current tendering system for bus contracts in a letter to Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien last week.
The National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) said it was “imperative” that legislation which provides for the licensing of public bus services be revisited.
The NBRU, which represents bus and rail workers, wrote to the Minister on February 10th.
In the letter, seen by The Irish Times, the union also said the one project that requires “immediate attention” is the provision of the MetroLink to north Dublin.
NBRU general secretary Dermot O’Leary said there were “several pressing issues” it would like to discuss with the Minister in greater detail, requesting a meeting at his “earliest convenience”.
