Cork City Bus Service: A Crisis in Reliability and Punctuality
The reliability and punctuality of Cork City buses have taken a sharp nosedive during recent service reductions, according to new figures shared by Sinn Féin TD for Cork North-Central, Thomas Gould. The data, obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, paints a bleak picture of the city’s public transportation system.
The Data Reveals Troubling Trends
From mid-June to the end of December, the National Transport Authority (NTA) compiled data showing the average punctuality and the amount of scheduled kilometers not traveled. Before the service reductions, Cork City buses were punctual 65.21% of the time. However, during the service cuts, this dropped to 54.97%. Late arrivals increased by 40.77%, rising from 704,048 to 991,068, and kilometers lost also soared from 9.31% to 13.65%.
The figures highlight specific routes affected most significantly: the 201, 214, and 219 were the biggest offenders in terms of lateness, while the 213, 209, and 220 failed to show up as scheduled more often than others.
Mr. Gould attended a meeting with Bus Éireann last month, where he was allegedly told that the reduced timetables had improved reliability in the city. However, the data contradicted this claim. “These figures show that passengers and drivers were telling the truth,” Gould stated. “Despite reduced timetables, the reliability and punctuality of our bus service in Cork continued to decline from September to December.”
Public Transport in Crisis
Gould emphasized that over six months, 40% of buses in Cork City weren’t on time, and one in ten didn’t show up at all. “That is not a functioning public transport system—it is a system in crisis,” he said. “We have buses like the 201, which is late almost 57% of the time, or the 220, that just didn’t show up almost 16% of the time. In the final four weeks of 2024, one in every five Cork City buses just didn’t show up at all.”
Mr. Gould expressed frustration with Bus Éireann’s proposed solutions. “When I met with Bus Éireann last week, the only real solution they were progressing was installing Leap Card machines on buses. Do they think we’re fools?” He called for the minister for transport to intervene.
Bus Éireann’s Defense
A Bus Éireann spokesperson countered the claims, stating that the company “introduced temporary reduced timetables on a number of Cork City services on October 20, 2024, in order to deliver better reliability of scheduled services while navigating a difficult period of driver shortages.”
They noted, “Bus Éireann delivered over 97% (close to our 98% target, as measured by our contractual requirements set by the NTA), of our Cork City network in November/December 2024. This was a significant improvement and up from 93% in the period prior to the introduction of the revised timetables, resulting in an improved service reliability for our customers.”
The spokesperson acknowledged ongoing challenges, such as traffic congestion and motorists blocking bus lanes or parking at bus stops.
Conclusion and Call to Action
The stark difference between Gould’s data-driven findings and Bus Éireann’s reported metrics raises serious questions about the effectiveness of the service reductions. As commuters face increasing delays and cancellations, it is crucial for stakeholders to engage and find sustainable solutions.
We invite our readers to share their experiences and thoughts on this matter. Your insights can help bring more attention to this critical issue affecting the daily lives of Cork City residents.
“Drivers are expected to deliver timetables that are completely unachievable,” Gould concluded. “We need immediate action to address these issues. The time for inaction is over.”
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated on the latest developments regarding Cork City’s bus service and other important local news.
Don’t forget to like, share, and comment on our social media platforms to help us reach a wider audience and advocate for the necessary improvements.
