Bus Eireann now operates a successful & popular circular town service around Balbriggan. The service connects the railway station with the town centre plus the rapidly developing housing developments in the north of the town.
The service operates Monday to Saturday every 20 minutes from Railway Street close to the Irish Rail station.
Here is a feature on Broadstone based DPC 22, a Dennis Pointer which is generally allocated to the service....
DPC 22 ( 02 D 62203 ), a long wheel base Dennis Pointer with Cummins engine. Bus Eireann purchased 11 long wheel base ( DPC 22- 32 ) for city services in Cork while short wheel base version " mini pointer " ( DPC 101- 111 ) were delivered to Waterford to replace the KC fleet on city services there. DPC 22 was originally allocated to Dundalk Garage where the Balbriggan town service was originally to be allocated, but in the end, the duty reverted back to Broadstone in Dublin.
The Dennis Pointer offers a clutter free interior, with plenty of headroom, ventilation windows & urban 90 seating. There is a total seating capacity in the Bus Eireann DPC of 37 with 22 standees, reducing to 34 with one wheelchair. On the Balbriggan service, the standee area is frequently used by various buggies/ prams using the city centre shopping back to the various housing estates.
Rear view of DPC 22 at Railway Street, just outside Balbriggan railway station. The station itself is too small for buses to enter.
The Balbriggan town service was introduced on 1st December 2005 full time, following various successful iniatiatives mostly during " car free days ". Initially, Mercedes minibuses were used on the route, operating at a rough 10 minute frequency.
Interior view from the rear of DPC 22 at Railway Street.
All the urban 90 seating are individual bucket type seating, with flip top seating on both sides towards the front of the vehicle for the wheelchair space ( behind the nearside ) wheelarch. There is also hanging grab supports for standees.
DPC 22 seen at the most popular stop on the Balbriggan town service. While most of the route does not have bus stops, the locals know the route & pull ins.
From time to time, DPC 22 also operates another Broadstone innovative route linking Blanchardstown with Ashbourne :
DPC 22 seen at Saint Peter & Paul's Church at the end of Main Street. This busbay is also the terminus for Dublin Bus route 33 which operates to Dublin City Centre.
Exact routing for the Balbriggan town service :
Railway Street, left into Convent Lane, right onto Drogheda Street :
connection with Bus Eireann route 101 ), left onto Hamlet Lane, straight through Brega, past Hamlet Lane House, Barons Hall Rise, Barons Hall Park, Barons Hall Road, turning left onto Moylaragh Road, the roundabout, past Hampton Woods, the roundabout, Harry Reynolds Road, past the cemetery, passing Fingal Business Park, Sonopress, left on the roundabout to Saint Peter & Pauls Church :
