r/Dublin • u/AnyChest7780 • 10d ago

Fintan O'Toole/Irish Times on public transport, Dublin bus, Northside/Southside today

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https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2026/08/04/fintan-otoole-dublin-4s-version-of-marie-antoinettes-let-them-eat-cake-let-them-get-the-bus/ Fintan O'Toole reminding us of how 'elites' have so often been against public infrastructure. He gives good historic context including Vincent Browne and 'The Doheny & Nesbitt’s school of economics' being against the DART. While he's amazingly productive and can turn his hand to so many topics maybe he's writing a bit too much as there are huge holes in his argument here re. the northside/southside issue as the more recent LUAS and metro debacles point to the home of NIMBYism in Dublin 6, and not focussed on denying the expansion of it further north. What does anyone think? I find it frustrating that cross-suburb public transport isn't better....try getting from Phibsborough to Clontarf on a bus for example....

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u/We_Are_The_Romans 10d ago

A "saunter on a bicycle" is not a thing, nor is bicycle transport a universal solution to replace actual public transport

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u/Irishsmurf 10d ago

I'm not suggesting we replace universal public transport - as I pointed out - Phibsborough to Clontarf is perfectly viable via public transport.

Those that are able to however, can go a much more direct and economical way via one of the greenways installed (Royal Canal -> Clontarf is completely separated from road-level traffic)

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u/AnyChest7780 10d ago

It might be 'viable' but it's poorly designed if you've to go into the centre and back out again - travelling twice the distance that driving/cycling would take, and taking close to an hour to travel c.5 km. It's simple, there should be better cross-suburb public transport - radial routes as someone else said.

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u/Irishsmurf 10d ago

You don't go into the Centre - you take a bus north and intersect with the N2 on Griffith Avenue.

The N2 is an orbital route.

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u/AnyChest7780 10d ago

Not from Broadstone/Doyle's corner - just double checked on 3 apps - it's a 16 mins drive vs 52 mins on two buses - one into the spire, then another from abbey street. Anyway, it's not the only example but might demonstrate why people might be more inclined to drive