Passengers encouraged to use New Ratoath Bus Service
Ratoath TD and Minister of State Mary Wallace has had ongoing meetings with Bus Eireann to improve the bus service for Ratoath. Bus Eireann has informed Minister Wallace of the following additional and enhanced bus services for Ratoath under Transport 21.
New Service - Route 109A - Navan/Dublin Airport/DCU
A new Route 109A from Navan through Ratoath to Dublin Airport and DCU commenced in December 07. Passengers are advised that the first departure from Navan will be at 0500 hrs and the last departure from Navan at 21:00hrs. Last departure from DCU is planned for 22:20hrs
Minister Wallace has asked the residents of Ratoath to consider using this service sooner rather than later to make trips to Navan, Dublin Airport and DCU as this is a very valuable service and obviously it needs to be used in order to maintain viability as this service will be hugely important in the years ahead for 3rd level students and Airport users etc.,
Route 105 - Ratoath - Dublin via Fairyhouse Road
Bus Eireann plan to introduce in early March an hourly service on the hour every hour from 7:00am to Midnight on Route 105 from Ratoath via Fairyhouse Road to Dublin. Passengers are advised that the first departure from Ratoath will be at 0700hrs. The last departure from Ratoath will be at 00:00 hrs. Bus Eireann plan 56 departures per day from Ratoath on this route.
Proposed Express Service via N2 Motorway
Also it is proposed to provide under Transport 21 a new Express type service Route 105X to/from Ratoath via Ninemile Stone onto the N2 Motorway and into Dublin City. The first departure from Ratoath at 0700 hrs. This service will initially be provided at peak times only to start with. It is hoped that this service improvement will be up and running by approximately mid 2008.
A proposal came forward from a passenger over the winter months suggesting that the 105 should cease going via the N3 and should turn at Fairyhouse Racecourse and go via the N2. Bus Eireann have rejected this proposal on the basis that it would remove a service from the rural part of Ratoath i.e. Fairyhouse Road and Porterstown Lane and also remove the option of going to school/work in the Cabra/Phisboro section of the N3 and in doing so remove the entire N3 option for all passengers.
The most recent meeting with Bus Eireann which was attended by Minister Wallace and two passengers agreed that when the 105 improvements are implemented in early March they will make a huge improvement for people on village end of Fairyhouse Road and thus eliminate the concerns that were raised over the winter months regarding service via the N3.
The passengers made a very useful suggestion at the meeting that perhaps the bus turning point in Ratoath should be moved from its existing route to go to the roundabout at Tesco thereby bringing the bus service closer to a number of housing estates particularly if a new bus stop could be provided close to this roundabout. Bus Eireann are considering this proposal at present.
Proposals were also brought forward suggesting a park and ride service and these are being looked at by Bus Eireann.
"We would like to extend our thanks and appreciation to Bus Eireann for their very positive response to our requests for improvements to the Ratoath Bus Service. We would encourage passengers to keep sending on your suggestions and comments on our improved bus service" said Mary Wallace TD.
"Additional Bus services and improvements to the Ratoath timetable is especially welcomed considering our continued population growth. We are delighted that Bus Eireann have introduced these plans and we will be monitoring developments over the next few months and through 2008 on this important issue for Ratoath commuters" said Ratoath Cllr Nick Killian.