 | |
 A Go-Ahead Wright Streetlite at the Liffey Valley Centre | |
| Parent | Go-Ahead Group |
|---|---|
| Founded | 9 September 2018 |
| Headquarters | Ballymount, Dublin |
| Service area | Dublin, Kildare |
| Service type | Public Transport Operator |
| Routes | 43 |
| Depots | Ballymount, Naas |
| Fleet | 140 |
| Chief executive | Dervla McKay |
| Website | www.goaheadireland.ie |
Go-Ahead Transport Services (Dublin) Limited, known as Go-Ahead Ireland is a bus operator in Dublin that commenced trading in September 2018. It is a subsidiary of the Go-Ahead Group.
With the aim of improving efficiency, in 2015 the National Transport Authority put the operation of 24 Dublin Bus routes out to tender. [1] In August 2017 the contract was awarded to the Go-Ahead Group. [2] [3] [4] This represented 10% of the incumbent operator Dublin Bus existing monopoly operated network.
Go-Ahead Ireland commenced operating one new route, 175 from Citywest to University College Dublin, on 9 September 2018. [5] A further four transferred from Dublin Bus on 7 October, then another three on 21 October, four on 2 December, nine on 20 January 2019 and a final three transferred on 24 March 2019. By this time the fleet had grown to 125 buses after taking over all the services that the company was scheduled to commence operation on. [6] [7] [8] [9] The contract is for five years with an option for a two-year extension. [2] [10] [11]
On 26 July 2019 a second depot was opened in Naas in County Kildare. This depot is being used to manage a number of Dublin commuter coach routes which the company won the tender to operate, formerly operated by Bus Éireann, which were transferred to Go-Ahead between December 2019 and January 2020.
| Route | Origin | Destination | Notes | Start Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33A | Skerries or Balbriggan | Dublin Airport or Swords | Services operate as either Skerries-Dublin Airport or Balbriggan-Swords. | 2 December 2018 |
| 33B | Portrane | Swords | 2 December 2018 | |
| 45A | Dún Laoghaire Station | Kilmacanogue | 7 October 2018 | |
| 45B | Dún Laoghaire Station | Kilmacanogue | As route 45A, but via Shanganagh Cliffs Estate. Once a day in each direction. | 7 October 2018 |
| 59 | Dún Laoghaire Station | Killiney | 7 October 2018 | |
| 63 | Dún Laoghaire Station | Kilternan | 7 October 2018 | |
| 63A | Dún Laoghaire Station | Kilternan | As route 63, but via Foxrock. Once a day in each direction. | 7 October 2018 |
| 102 | Sutton Station | Dublin Airport | 2 December 2018 | |
| 104 | Dublin City University | Clontarf Road Station | 20 January 2019 | |
| 111 | Dalkey | Brides Glen Luas stop | 21 October 2018 | |
| 114 | Ticknock | Blackrock Station | 20 January 2019 | |
| 161 | Dundrum Luas Stop | Rockbrook | 20 January 2019 | |
| 184 | Bray Station | Newtownmountkennedy | 21 October 2018 | |
| 185 | Bray Station | Enniskerry | 21 October 2018 | |
| 220 | Dublin City University | Mulhuddart | 20 January 2019 | |
| 220A | Dublin City University | Mulhuddart | As route 220, but via Coolmine. Once a day in each direction. | 20 January 2019 |
| 236 | Blanchardstown Centre | Damastown | 20 January 2019 | |
| 236A | Blanchardstown Centre | Damastown | 20 January 2019 | |
| 238 | Tyrrelstown | Mulhuddart | 20 January 2019 | |
| 270 | Blanchardstown Centre | Dunboyne | 20 January 2019 | |
| L51 | Adamstown Station | Liffey Valley | Former route 239, introduced during Phase 2 of the BusConnects programme. | 28 November 2021 |
| L52 | Blanchardstown Centre | Adamstown Station | Former route 239, introduced during Phase 2 of the BusConnects programme. | 28 November 2021 |
| L55 | Palmerstown Village | Chapelizod | Introduced during Phase 5b of the BusConnects programme. [12] | 26 November 2023 |
| N6 | Kilbarrack | Finglas | Former route 17A, introduced during Phase 3 of the BusConnects programme. | 29 May 2022 |
| S4 | Liffey Valley Shopping Centre | UCD | Introduced during Phase 5b of the BusConnects programme. | 26 November 2023 |
| S6 | Tallaght | Blackrock Station | Introduced during Phase 5b of the BusConnects programme. | 26 November 2023 |
| S8 | Citywest | Dún Laoghaire Station | Introduced during Phase 5b of the BusConnects programme. | 26 November 2023 |
| W2 | Tallaght | Liffey Valley Shopping Centre | Introduced during Phase 5b of the BusConnects programme. | 26 November 2023 |
| W4 | The Square Tallaght | Blanchardstown Centre | Introduced during Phase 5a of the BusConnects programme. | 25 June 2023 |
| W61 | Maynooth (Community College) | Hazelhatch & Celbridge Station | Introduced during Phase 5a of the BusConnects programme. | 25 June 2023 |
| W62 | The Square Tallaght | Newcastle (St. Finian's NS) | Introduced during Phase 5a of the BusConnects programme. | 25 June 2023 |
Go-Ahead Ireland took over the operation of a further six routes from Dublin to Offaly, Laois, Kildare and Meath from Bus Éireann between December 2019 and January 2020. These are the 120, 120C, 123, 124, 126 and the 130. They started operating the 126 and 130 on 1 December 2019 which coincided with the introduction of new route 125 from Newbridge to UCD. They took over the 120 and 120C on 19 January 2020. [13] [14]
On 24 November 2019, Go-Ahead Ireland started operating route 197. This route is part of a separate contract with the NTA. It uses Alexander Dennis Enviro 200MMCs owned by Go-Ahead rather than the NTA as is the case on the Dublin city and commuter routes.
Go-Ahead Ireland commenced operations with nine buses. [15] By the time it took over its final routes from Dublin Bus in early 2019, the fleet was scheduled to expand to 125 buses comprising 24 new Wright Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B5TLs and 40 Wright StreetLites, with 12 Wright Gemini 2 bodied Volvo B9TLs and 49 Wright Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B5TLs to transfer from Dublin Bus. It was later decided that an extra 12 double decker buses were required in order to be able to fulfill the full quantity of routes due to transfer. These buses were diverted from an order of Wright Gemini 3 Volvo B5TL buses originally meant for Dublin Bus bringing the fleet up to 133 buses. In 2022 Go-Ahead Ireland received 3 more Wright Gemini 3 Volvo B5TL buses from Dublin Bus and were numbered 11601 to 11603. These were former SG272, SG273 and SG275 of Dublin Bus Broadstone Depot. Go-Ahead Ireland use five digit and six digit numbers for fleet numbering with their 96 B5TLs being numbered from 11501 to 11593 and 11601 to 11603, 12 B9TLs are numbered from 11901 to 11912 and the 40 Streetlites are numbered between 12101 and 12140. [16] 9 former Dublin Bus AX class Volvo B7TL buses with Alexander ALX400 bodywork have been added to the fleet as additional buses. These were numbered 11701 to 11709 and were new to Dublin Bus as AX497 to AX505. [ citation needed ] Ten Mercedes-Benz Citaros and five Wright Gemini bodied Volvo B7TLs were transferred from Oxford Bus Company and Go-Ahead London as driver trainers. In March 2022 they received 3 former B5LH Wright Gemini 2 vehicles from Go-Ahead London also for driver training. These are numbered 8501 to 8503. In 2022 Go-Ahead took delivery of 3 Wright Streetlite's numbered 12141 to 12143. These vehicles are formerly owned by Metrobus in the UK and have replaced Enviro200MMC's numbered 2701 to 2703 on route 197 between Ashbourne and Swords. The 3 Enviro200MMC's were sold to Metrobus in exchange for the Streetlites. [17] [18]
The Dublin Commuter routes are operated by a mixture of double deck VDL Futura coaches and Sunsundegui SB3 bodied Volvo B8R interurban buses.
Go-Ahead Ireland's Dublin City fleet is managed from its primary depot on the site of a former DHL Express depot in Ballymount. A second depot in Naas where the Commuter routes are based opened on 26 July 2019. [19]
In August 2020 Go-Ahead Ireland began operation of 8 new routes in North and West County Dublin. The fleet they use on these routes are nine ex-Dublin Bus 2006 ALX400 class buses formerly AX497-505 now they are numbered 11701-11709. They are currently operating on route 33S,102A/C/P/S,220S,236S&270S
Bus Éireann is a state-owned bus and coach operator providing services throughout Ireland, with the exception of Dublin and the Greater Dublin Area, where bus services are provided by sister company Dublin Bus. It is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ). The company's primary hub is Busáras, located in Store Street, Dublin. In 2022 it operated 229 Public Service Obligation Routes, 14 expressway routes and 8940 school transport routes.
Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company Limited, trading as Metrobus, is a bus operator with routes in parts of Surrey, Kent, Sussex, and Greater London. Formed through a management buyout in 1983, Metrobus was purchased by the Go-Ahead Group in September 1999 and is now under the control of Brighton & Hove, part of the Go-Ahead Group.
The Go-Ahead Group Limited is a passenger transport company based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The majority of its operations are within the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, Singapore, and Norway. Go-Ahead was formerly listed on the London Stock Exchange prior to being purchased by Kinetic Group and Globalvia by 2022.
The Volvo B9TL is a low-floor double-decker bus built by Volvo from 2002 until 2018. It superseded the Volvo Super Olympian and the Volvo B7TL. The 2-axle version has been superseded by the Volvo B5TL in 2014 and the 3-axle version has been superseded by the Volvo B8L in 2018.
Wrightbus is a Northern Ireland-based bus manufacturer and a pioneer of the low-floor bus. The company was established in 1946 by Robert Wright and was later run by his son William Wright, until it was acquired in 2019 by British businessman Jo Bamford.
The Volvo B7TL is a low-floor double-decker bus chassis which was launched in 1999 and replaced the 2-axle version of the Volvo Olympian. It was built as the British bus operators seemed hesitant to purchase the B7L double decker with a long rear overhang.
East Thames Buses was the trading name of London Buses Limited, an arms length subsidiary of Transport for London. In 2009, it was sold to the Go-Ahead Group.
The Alexander Dennis Enviro400 is a twin-axle low-floor double-decker bus that was built by the British bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis between 2005 and 2018. It replaced the Alexander ALX400, Dennis Trident and Plaxton President. In 2014, the Enviro400 was succeeded by the updated Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC and production of the classic Enviro400 ceased in 2018.
The Wright Eclipse Gemini is a low-floor double-decker bus body that was built by Wrightbus since 2001, based on the single-decker Wright Eclipse design. The second-generation Eclipse Gemini 2 was launched in 2009, followed by the third-generation Gemini 3 in 2013. Additionally, the body was available on Volvo Super Olympian chassis in Hong Kong between 2003 and 2005, marketed as the Wright Explorer.
First Hampshire & Dorset is a bus operator providing services in the counties of Hampshire and Dorset. It is a subsidiary of FirstGroup.
The Harrogate Bus Company operates both local and regional bus services in North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire, England. It is a subsidiary of Transdev Blazefield.
London Buses route 427 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Uxbridge and Southall, it is operated by Transport UK London Bus.
The 36 is a bus service operated by The Harrogate Bus Company, which links Leeds, Harewood and Harrogate with Ripley and Ripon. It is operated by a fleet of high-specification Wright Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B5TL double-deck vehicles, branded in a red and black livery.
Arriva Buses Wales is a bus operator providing services in northern Wales and Chester in northern England. It is a subsidiary of Arriva UK Bus.
The Volvo B5LH is a low-floor hybrid electric bus chassis for both single-decker buses and double-decker buses manufactured by Volvo between 2008 and 2023. It is the basis for Volvo's integral 7700 Hybrid full low floor city bus and its successor, the 7900 Hybrid from 2011. In 2008, pre-production batches of both types of chassis were manufactured. Serial production started in June 2010. From 2013 it is also available as an articulated bus chassis. First entering service in London, the B5LH is the only current double decker type in service in the United Kingdom that uses a parallel hybrid drive system.
London Buses route 328 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Golders Green station and World's End, it is operated by Metroline.
The Wright StreetLite is a low-floor midibus introduced by Wrightbus in 2010. It was originally available in only one body style before the door forward and StreetLite Max variants were introduced in 2011 and 2012 respectively. Production of all variants of the StreetLite was briefly suspended due to Wrightbus entering administration in September 2019.
The Volvo B5TL is a 2-axle low-floor double decker built by Volvo. It replaced the B9TL as Volvo's Euro 6 2-axle double decker product for the UK and Irish markets.
The MCV EvoSeti is a low-floor double-decker bus body built by MCV Bus & Coach as a replacement for the MCV DD103. It was unveiled in May 2015.
The Volvo B8L is a 3-axle bus chassis, for double-decker buses, manufactured by Volvo Buses since 2016, with pre-production batches being produced as early as in 2016. It is powered by a 6-cylinder, 350hp 7.7 litre Volvo engine.
| Shareholders |
|     |
|---|---|---|
| UK bus companies |
| |
| Overseas bus companies | ||
| UK railway companies (through 65% share in Govia) | ||
| European railway companies | ||
| Former operations |
| |
| Future operations | ||