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Public and Other Transport

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Public Transport Volumes

Source: National Transport Authority

Passenger journeys on public transport have been impacted significantly since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, though since the start of this year they have been increasing gradually. However, they still remain significantly below pre-pandemic levels.  

Latest available data show the total number of rail and bus journeys are now at their highest since the beginning of 2021, though onboard public service capacity remains at reduced levels. Data relating to bus and rail journeys is presented in table 3.1 and figure 3.1.

The latest data shows that for the week commencing 23 May, the total number of rail and bus journeys is 47.2% of those taken in early March 2020. The number of bus journeys outside of Dublin in the same week is 53.0% of pre COVID-19 levels. The corresponding level for bus journeys within Dublin is 48.6% of pre-COVID levels.

The data indicates that rail is the mode of transport that has been most severely hit since the onset of the crisis. In the week commencing 05 April 2020 the number of journeys undertaken by rail was 97.2% lower than it was in the first week of March of 2020. For the latest week under consideration (week commencing 23 May) the number of journeys by rail was 62.8% lower than pre COVID-19 levels. Please note that rail data includes passenger journeys on Intercity and DART services. 

Data on Luas journeys taken is presented in table 3.2 and illustrated in figure 3.2. The data shows that, similar to bus and rail journeys, the total number of Luas journeys are at their highest since the beginning of 2021. Latest data for the week beginning 24 May shows that journeys nearly tripled on the Red line when compared with end of May 2020 but are still 59.8% lower than end of May 2019. For the Green line and the same week, data shows that journeys have increased by 135,143 journeys compared with the corresponding period in 2020 but are still 60.4% lower than the same period in 2019.

Chapter 1 of this release already commented on the lifting of the intercounty travel ban on 10 May (beginning of week 19). Furthermore, on 10 May hairdressers, galleries and museums reopened and on 17 May (beginning of week 20) all non-essential retail returned. Those changes are reflected in the Luas journeys. Between week 19 and 20 the total Luas journeys increased by 40.2%.

X-axis labelDublin Metro BusBus excluding DublinRail
01-Mar 20203118388759099856295
08-Mar2558064608088912353
15-Mar889683202304658934
22-Mar62620114997697413
29-Mar3625518540526427
05-Apr3787059223724019
12-Apr3545528425626808
19-Apr40871510025532728
26-Apr42639510579935270
03-May45154710906637642
10-May49689812204943357
17-May61376414646265923
24-May72808016915895072
31-May726144170657103530
07-Jun861573216191130802
14-Jun1001001248019170729
21-Jun1052931258414200664
28-Jun1191210300688244513
05-Jul1289296336563261970
12-Jul1313755343314275425
19-Jul1345114359881289544
26-Jul1386355367623303230
02-Aug1343514355596322643
09-Aug1411115385771303273
16-Aug1362931353142257459
23-Aug1436786387797279886
30-Aug1580513419330333834
06-Sep1630992428665333173
13-Sep1618446432162345327
20-Sep1502915437676286524
27-Sep1533592442461297248
04-Oct1515680406840267040
11-Oct1537559383087265885
18-Oct1346619330082214392
25-Oct876747206039113250
01-Nov1148715286110184547
08-Nov1171793290151175989
15-Nov1200377300783191122
22-Nov1239144307185198651
29-Nov1531864394499277354
06-Dec1686019438379316210
13-Dec1725502438423330387
20-Dec1145902289867188230
27-Dec740923176527108781
03-Jan 2021748249184722108960
10-Jan73338718343990673
17-Jan73276318426793610
24-Jan74177018980093032
31-Jan788069200704104897
07-Feb77181819814396252
14-Feb834579207578110225
21-Feb879459207738123968
28-Feb945924240561144058
07-Mar958077240176136507
14-Mar951775244198146201
21-Mar1023741263125148522
28-Mar1002671257114172052
04 Apr909983236391142224
11-Mar1173626310561225420
18-Apr1204436320715243777
25-Apr1213709321346237706
02-May1115344292577218273
09-May1334448353887258430
16-May1472199388970281501
23-May1514131402517318382
Table 3.1 Passenger journeys by public transport, 01 March 2020 to 30 May 2021

X-axis label201920202021
Week 1549533602998141651
Week 2839022828455154882
Week 3819359889804147908
Week 4860745904841150280
Week 5912795942828148633
Week 6912612920121156469
Week 7940476911461154595
Week 8952291923869158958
Week 9929391898856173458
Week 10941919914613182546
Week 11924998684508182343
Week 12868205172062184592
Week 131003871109378194458
Week 1493357551655193222
Week 1594566251695175429
Week 1684218649393232495
Week 1780129655246240221
Week 1891925553321237120
Week 1981793362327216926
Week 2090498370288304059
Week 2190241597318356075
Week 22973025121645388279
Week 23826269116454
Week 24925516162187
Week 25883208198036
Week 26905636212109
Week 27982288260302
Week 28919158272181
Week 29903958281255
Week 30926491299837
Week 31832452329979
Week 32807393324687
Week 33868677327981
Week 34862939332762
Week 35897355352046
Week 36933362364177
Week 37969818385884
Week 38990123359756
Week 391031937322384
Week 40986159334649
Week 411054749350028
Week 421014017338183
Week 431028522283638
Week 44924586186287
Week 451019705227605
Week 461038825237979
Week 471062275244276
Week 481113668259772
Week 491080791394613
Week 501151098443719
Week 511173473460029
Week 52538511276844
Table 3.2 Passenger journeys by Luas per week

Bicycle Counter Data

Source: Dublin City Council

Dublin City Council operate cycle counters at five locations across the city to aid traffic planning and gauge demand for cycling. The cycle counter automatically counts cyclists passing in both directions and relays information to Dublin City Council’s traffic control centre. Data from these counters is presented in table 3.3. Please note that data in table 3.3 counts public holidays as off-peak.

The data for peak hours shows a different pattern to that of the off-peak data. The volume of cyclists on weekdays between 7am and 10am and from 4pm to 7pm decreased significantly when restrictions were most stringent last year. Data for May show that peak volumes were at their highest since beginning of 2021. The monthly volume of bicycles during peak hours in May 2021 was 41.3% higher than May 2020 but still 55.4% lower than May 2019. In contrast, the volume of cyclists during off-peak hours exceeded 2019 and 2020 levels. Volumes for May 2021 were 2.1% higher than May 2020 and 7.7% higher than in May 2019.

2019 Peak2020 Peak2021 Peak2019 Off peak2020 Off peak2021 Off peak
January12086112709730241820598611862520
February11539211003733931828027648167019
March1143047663553046903557031599032
April11812028396599399128754611115262
May1371324326061134105374111189113488
June1125415500999378110170
July14619064701113917109296
August12979758210108179119001
September14026278388108352115860
October14022663867103886104946
November121607577029184593118
December84178466527737579108
Table 3.3 Monthly volume of bicycles at selected Dublin sites

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