‘People have been unable to get to work, college or school and I have been working with the NTA to have this capacity issue resolved as a matter of urgency’
The additional bus comes in response to ongoing capacity issues with the service, which had resulted in commuters repeatedly being left stranded at bus stops each morning.
Taoiseach Simon Harris welcomed the announcement and thanked Bus Éireann and the National Transport Authority for listening to the concerns of local residents along the line.
He said: “This extra bus will help cater for the high demands of this service. After speaking with local commuters, I understood that, with the return of school and colleges in September, the demand for the route 133 had increased significantly, and action needed to be taken to ensure that this service could continue to accommodate commuters along this route.”
Deputy Jennifer Whitmore said she was contacted by residents of Newtownmountkennedy voicing their frustration with the service.
“They have been repeatedly been left standing at their bus stops each morning because the 133 bus is full when it reaches them. People have been unable to get to work, college or school and I have been working with the NTA to have this capacity issue resolved as a matter of urgency.
“Commuters in Wicklow deserve public transport options that they can rely on, and I raised this with Minister Jack Chambers in the Dáil on Thursday. We need to see proper forward planning and investment in these services so that public transport is a viable and accessible option for people.”
Deputy Whitmore also wants a longer-term resolution to the problem.
She added: “While I welcome this additional bus for the 133 morning service, I believe that this will only be a temporary fix. Our communities across Wicklow are growing and our public services such as public transport need to catch up. We need joined up thinking to connect people with the services they need.
“I have called for the introduction of a bus service between Wicklow town, with its population of almost 13,000 people, and Greystones, so that people can access DART services. This 20km bus route would open up more transport options to those living in Wicklow Town and alleviate the pressure that current transport routes are under.”
“Wicklow town and Newtownmountkennedy are only two examples of a really poor service when it comes to public transport, this is an issue that impacts every community across Wicklow. It is incredible considering the amount of money that we have in this country that we cannot get the basics right and put on bus services that are reliable and frequent for people.”
Deputy Steven Matthews has frequently flagged the capacity issues experienced on this route during extensive engagements with the National Transport Authority and Bus Éireann.
“Of all public transport routes in Wicklow, the 133 is by far the one that I receive the most emails raising issues with capacity, punctuality and reliability on a weekly basis. I have been working with the NTA and Bus Éireann over the last few months and the confirmation from their regional manager that an additional bus will be on the route for rush hour morning commuters is hugely welcome.
“In order to convince people to make the switch to public transport, we need to ensure that any reliability or capacity issues are addressed as soon as possible.
“On this occasion, it did take longer than I would have wanted but to see Bus Éireann putting in place concrete measures to improve passenger experience has to be acknowledged and supported.”
Deputy John Brady commented: “For too long, people in areas such as Newtownmountkennedy, Kilpedder, and Kilmacanogue have been left stranded at bus stops as full buses pass them by, particularly during peak morning hours. I have repeatedly raised this issue with the NTA and Bus Éireann, highlighting the urgent need for additional capacity on the 133.
“Many people have contacted me to express their frustration at the growing frequency of buses reaching maximum capacity and being unable to accommodate passengers. This has caused significant inconvenience for commuters, many of whom rely on this service to travel to work, school, or other essential activities.
“I have been advocating for a solution to this problem, and I am glad to see that our concerns are finally being addressed.”
