The National Transport Authority for Ireland (NTA) has launched a public consultation on the third and final stage of the Dublin bus project.

BusConnects Core Bus Corridor project aims to transform Dublin's bus system, providing 230kms of dedicated bus lanes and 200kms of cycle lanes on sixteen of the busiest bus corridors in and out of the city centre.

The final six of the sixteen routes earmarked for development were unveiled yesterday and include:

• Ballymena to the City Centre (Option A & B)

• Finglas to Phibsborough

• Bray to the City Centre

• UCD Ballsbridge to the City Centre

• Blackrock to Merrion

• Ringsend to the City Centre

The first phase of the public consultations commenced in November 2018, while the second started just last month.

The project aims to address the congestion issues in Dublin, particularly with the population due to grow by 25% by 2040, bringing it to almost 1.55m.

Bus services provide the main form of public transport across the city with 67% of public transport journeys each day made by bus. The level of commuting to work by bicycle has increased by 43% since 2011 and the need for better and safer cycling facilities will be met through the rollout of the Core Bus Corridor project.

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All property owners potentially affected by the plans have been notified by post with one-to-one meetings being offered in the coming weeks. The public consultation will run until Tuesday 30 April 2019.

On the six corridors announced, annual passenger growth in Dublin Bus services has increased by 18% in the period 2015 to 2018. However, the millions of passenger journeys taking place on each of these corridors are facing increasing congestion with delays being frequently experienced by commuters.

Launching the public consultation, Anne Graham, CEO of the NTA said: "In recent days, the NTA has notified the up to 390 property owners along the final six routes who may be potentially affected by the Emerging Preferred Routes and offered one-to-one meetings to discuss the proposals and listen directly to their feedback. We would encourage property owners to engage in the consultation process that is underway until the 30th April so we can look at the issues they wish to see addressed.

"Throughout the development of this project, we are committed to deepening engagement with communities along each of the sixteen routes and the up to 1,470 property owners potentially impacted by the project. That is why we have been holding public information events in recent weeks and will hold similar such events for phase 3 in the next two months.

"It has been encouraging to see the high level of engagement that we have witnessed as part of the consultation process. Through feedback and observations, we have already suggested a number of solutions including an alternative layout at Santry on the Swords to City Centre route."

(JG)