Photo of the Week - Week 30:


Dublin Express Route 782 is seen operating on Custom House Quay on the 16th March 2020 (click on photo for larger version).

It's all about timing in business! For National Express, and their venture into Dublin in the form of Dublin Express, it couldn't have been worse timing. On the 3rd March 2020, Dublin got a new Airport express operator when National Express began 3 services between Dublin City Centre and Dublin Airport. The routes were: 782: Smithfield via Custom House Quay to Dublin Airport, 783: Custom House Quay to Dublin Airport, and 784: Merrion Square via Custom House Quay to Dublin Airport. Each route ran every 60mins, giving a combined frequency of 20mins from Custom House Quay, with services running 24-hours a day. Bernard Kavanagh operated the service on behalf of National Express. Much expense had been gone to by getting the best area at Dublin Airport, the former Aircoach stops directly outside the arrivals area. And yet by the 21st March, it had ceased operation, a casualty of the Covid-19 crisis. With the airport still running at a small percentage of its capacity, with self-isolation restrictions fobidding the use of public transport on arrival into Ireland, who knows when this service will resume, and what level of patronage will be available. One would think that the other rumoured routes to Citywest, Castleknock, Tallaght and Fairview may not have the same business case as had originally been determined, and may be delayed for some time. Here's hoping that things do go back to normal in the world in the near term, another missed summer season would have big implications for Ireland and its public transport operations.


Dublin Express operating Route 784 on Custom House Quay on the 16th March 2020 (click on photo for larger version).

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