The biggest barrier to a faster and more reliable bus service is "the dominance of the private car" in the capital, the CEO of Dublin Bus has said.
Billy Hann is appearing before the Oireachtas Transport Committee to discuss the challenges facing the bus and coach industry.
Mr Hann will tell members that it can take up to 29 minutes to travel just 10km in Dublin.
He says this situation "is clearly not going to convince people to leave the car at home".
Dublin Bus real time time passenger updates, 20-8-14. Image: Sam Boal/Photocall IrelandMr Hann will also ask the Committee if "it right that a line of cars with an average of one occupant per vehicle delays a bus with 85 people on it?"
"Six out of every 10 cars are using the city centre as a route to reach a destination outside of the centre," he says.
"They take up vital road space and increase journey times for people using Dublin Bus.
"Moving this traffic out of the city, as the NTA/DCC Transport Plan seeks to do, should not impact economic activity or cultural life. It should improve it."
There have previously been criticisms of Dublin Bus around so-called 'ghost buses' not showing up on schedule.
'Daily congestion'
Mr Hann says it is also becoming "more challenging" to run a punctual service while operating in a city with large variances in daily traffic congestion.
"For example, Mondays and Fridays are much lighter traffic days than Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursday," he says.
"This is a consequence of the post-pandemic world, where remote working is now the norm."
Mr Hann adds: "This is not about being anti-car. It is about being pro-Dublin."
Safety
In terms of safety on public transport, Mr Hann says Dublin Bus would "support any action".
"Dublin Bus recognises the rise in anti-social behaviour incidents across the city and the public transport network," he said.
"I have consistently advocated for collaborative efforts from all stakeholders, urging the establishment of a dedicated forum to tackle these challenges collectively.
"I am pleased to report that we are currently engaging with the Department of Transport on the establishment of such a forum."
Mr Hann says Dublin Bus has commissioned an independent review of its procedures and will use the forum to share outcomes and recommendations.
"We would support any action that would make transport services safer," he adds.
Last year saw the highest customer numbers in recent years for Dublin Bus, with the company expecting this year to deliver "the highest number of customer journeys in Dublin Bus’ history".
