Plans are being drawn up to cut 10% of routes from Bus Eireann and Dublin Bus and to give them to private operators. The National Transport Authority (NTA) is proposing awarding contracts from 2016.
It says it wants to enter into a direct award contract with the two firms in 2014, and then to amend those contracts in 2016 to reduce the services by some 10%.
It has also launched a public consultation process on its plans. The closing date for this is 5pm on October 11th.
In the case of Dublin Bus, the proposed routes that would be open to tender would be the "orbital routes and some local routes around the city", eg routes 17 from Rialto to Blackrock, 33b Swords to Portrane, 111 Dun Laoghaire to Loughlinstown.
For Bus Éireann services, there are a number of options available:
- All city services in Waterford
- Some city services in Cork
- Some rural stage carriage services in the south east region
- Certain Dublin commuter services
It is also proposing some possible combinations of tendering routes together; such as the Waterford City and portion of Cork city services, and either the Cork city portion or Waterford City services together with a portion of the Dublin coastal commuter services.
Gerry Murphy is Chief Executive Officer of the National Transport Authority. "These proposals are carefully balanced to introduce competition into the bus market in a structured manner that safeguards the delivery of services for the customer and maintains the on-going improvement of the public’s bus services" he said.
"Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann will be able to plan for tendering and a possible downsizing if they are unsuccessful".
"Private bus operators will be able to compete for 10% of the market while the public will always have an integrated product offering although it may be delivered by a variety of operators. Experience from a range of countries has shown that competition has improved efficiency and services" he added.
