Balbriggan Bus Service, by Dublin Bus & Bus Eireann

Balbriggan in north County Dublin, just over 50 kilometers from Dublin City Centre is seeing a huge population growth as part of the commuter belt & has a number of public transport bus & rail options to the Capital.

Here is a feature on the various bus services operated by CIE in Balbriggan.

Dublin Bus operates route 33 from Balbriggan, via Skerries, Rush, Lusk & Swords to Dublin City Centre. The service operates every hour seven days a week & taken about two hours. The 33 has recently been restored ( November 2005 ) to through services to Dublin, following the unpopularity of route 33A which only operated to Swords Village & required connecting with the 41 group for onwards journeys. Route 33 is operated from Summerhill Garage using the Volvo B7TL's with Alexander/ Transbus/ Alexander Dennis bodywork, which are low floor easy access buses. The 33 routing around Balbriggan town has recently been revised following some one way traffic systems launched.

Bus Eireann in association with Fingal County Council launched a new circular town service in Balbriggan on Thursday 1st December 2005. The route operates anti clockwise from Balbriggan Railway Station via Drogheda Street, the new housing developments along the Balbriggan inner relief road such as Brega & Moylaragh, Dublin Street, Bridge Street & Drogheda Street.

While Optare Excel OP 9 was used on the first day, ML 108 ( above ) , a 1997 Mercedes Benz 811D with Leicester Carriage Builders bodywork has now been allocated to the route, having previously operated the Navan Town service.

The fare is 1 euro per trip & initially operated every 10 minutes, now every 20 minutes approx from 7 am until 7 pm Monday to Saturday. Timetable here

The introduction of the route is part of an overall traffic management plan for Balbriggan, to curb traffic congestion. During previous " car free days ", this service operated.

The first Bus Eireann Volvo B7R Plaxton Prima, VR 1 ( 00 D 75676 ) is seen loading for Dublin on route 101. The VR " commuter " class work alongside the DD deckers & Volvo Caetano VC class on the 100/101.

Bus Eireann also operates double deckers through Balbriggan. Their new fleet of DD class Volvo B7TL's with East Lancs bodywork operate routes 100 & 101to Dundalk & Drogheda, serving Balbriggan in both directions.

Dundalk based DD 21 is seen operating a 101 service through Balbriggan Village. The Bus Eireann service is quicker than the Dublin Bus route 33, with Balbriggan the first/ last stop, although the fare is slightly higher. The late night Bus Eireann Niterider service also operates via Balbriggan.