Dublin Bus to be sold off

[Chancer]

I see that the Government has put forward a proposal to sell off Dublin Bus and open its routes to tender. They are also promising better services for new satellite towns, like Tallaght, Lucan, Blanshardstown and Greystones. Eventually the rest of the countries bus services will go the same route.

In theory this will improve the bus service no end, but do such moves really work to the publics best interests? Or will it lead to companies cherry picking the profitable routes and providing a good service on them, and provide an unsatisfactory service to the less profitable ones?

[WhipLash]

I haven't seen any details of the proposed regulations for the tenders, but usually cherry picking is impossible to a certain extent. The most profitable routes are generally paired off with less profitable ones, so bidders will have to take on both. Don’t know if this will be the case with Dublin Bus, but I’m sure something like this will be introduced. If not we can kiss a decent all-encompassing bus service good bye.