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Transport Bulletin May 2021

Public and Other Transport

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Public Transport Volumes

The number of passenger journeys on public transport has dropped dramatically since the start of the COVID-19 crisis. However, since the start of the year public transport journeys have been increasing gradually, still significantly below pre-pandemic levels. Latest available data show the total number of rail and bus journeys are at their highest since the beginning of 2021. Data relating to bus and rail journeys is presented in table 3.1 and figure 3.1.

The total number of bus and rail journeys taken during early April (week commencing 04 April) was 72.8% lower than those taken in early March 2020 (pre COVID-19 restrictions). The number of bus journeys outside of Dublin in the same week was 31.1% of pre COVID-19 levels. The corresponding level for bus journeys within Dublin was 29.2% of pre-COVID levels. The latest data shows that for the week commencing 25 April, the total number of rail and bus journeys is 37.4% of those taken in early March 2020.

The data indicates that rail was the mode of transport that was 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 25 April) the number of journeys by rail was 72.2% 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 indicates that the impact of COVID-19 on the Luas red and green lines, while very similar, has been slightly greater on the green line.

Latest data for the week beginning 26 April (week 17) shows that journeys more than quadrupled (313.9% increase) on the red line when compared to the same period in 2020 but are still 72.3% lower than the same period in 2019. For the green line and the same week, data shows that journeys have increased by 385.5% compared to the corresponding week in 2020 but are still 76.1% lower than the same period in 2019. The total number of journeys on the Luas decreased slightly by 3,101 (-1.3%) in the latest week commencing 26 April compared to the previous week. However, when looking at the week commencing 12 April, when the within county travel restrictions changed, the total Luas journeys increased by 32.5% compared to the previous week.

X-axis label	Dublin Metro Bus	Bus excluding Dublin	Rail
01-Mar 2020	3118388	759099	856295
08-Mar	2558064	608088	912353
15-Mar	889683	202304	658934
22-Mar	626201	149976	97413
29-Mar	362551	85405	26427
05-Apr	378705	92237	24019
12-Apr	354552	84256	26808
19-Apr	408715	100255	32728
26-Apr	426395	105799	35270
03-May	451547	109066	37642
10-May	496898	122049	43357
17-May	613764	146462	65923
24-May	728080	169158	95072
31-May	726144	170657	103530
07-Jun	861573	216191	130802
14-Jun	1001001	248019	170729
21-Jun	1052931	258414	200664
28-Jun	1191210	300688	244513
05-Jul	1289296	336563	261970
12-Jul	1313755	343314	275425
19-Jul	1345114	359881	289544
26-Jul	1386355	367623	303230
02-Aug	1343514	355596	322643
09-Aug	1411115	385771	303273
16-Aug	1362931	353142	257459
23-Aug	1436786	387797	279886
30-Aug	1580513	419330	333834
06-Sep	1630992	428665	333173
13-Sep	1618446	432162	345327
20-Sep	1502915	437676	286524
27-Sep	1533592	442461	297248
04-Oct	1515680	406840	267040
11-Oct	1537559	383087	265885
18-Oct	1346619	330082	214392
25-Oct	876747	206039	113250
01-Nov	1148715	286110	184547
08-Nov	1171793	290151	175989
15-Nov	1200377	300783	191122
22-Nov	1239144	307185	198651
29-Nov	1531864	394499	277354
06-Dec	1686019	438379	316210
13-Dec	1725502	438423	330387
20-Dec	1145902	289867	188230
27-Dec	740923	176527	108781
03-Jan 2021	748249	184722	108960
10-Jan	733387	183439	90673
17-Jan	732763	184267	93610
24-Jan	741770	189800	93032
31-Jan	788069	200704	104897
07-Feb	771818	198143	96252
14-Feb	834579	207578	110225
21-Feb	879459	207738	123968
28-Feb	945924	240561	144058
07-Mar	958077	240176	136507
14-Mar	951775	244198	146201
21-Mar	1023741	263125	148522
28-Mar	1002671	257114	172052
04 Apr	909983	236391	142224
11-Mar	1173626	310561	225420
18-Apr	1204436	320715	243777
25-Apr	1213543	320737	237706

Table 3.1 Passenger journeys by public transport, 01 March 2020 to 01 May 2021

Table 3.1 Passenger journeys by public transport, 01 March 2020 to 01 May 2021
				Number
Week commencing	Dublin Metro Bus	Bus excluding Dublin	Rail	Total
01-Mar	3,118,388	759,099	856,295	4,733,782
08-Mar	2,558,064	608,088	912,353	4,078,505
15-Mar	889,683	202,304	658,934	1,750,921
22-Mar	626,201	149,976	97,413	873,590
29-Mar	362,551	85,405	26,427	474,383
05-Apr	378,705	92,237	24,019	494,961
12-Apr	354,552	84,256	26,808	465,616
19-Apr	408,715	100,255	32,728	541,698
26-Apr	426,395	105,799	35,270	567,464
03-May	451,547	109,066	37,642	598,255
10-May	496,898	122,049	43,357	662,304
17-May	613,764	146,462	65,923	826,149
24-May	728,080	169,158	95,072	992,310
31-May	726,144	170,657	103,530	1,000,331
07-Jun	861,573	216,191	130,802	1,208,566
14-Jun	1,001,001	248,019	170,729	1,419,749
21-Jun	1,052,931	258,414	200,664	1,512,009
28-Jun	1,191,210	300,688	244,513	1,736,411
5-Jul	1,289,296	336,563	261,970	1,887,829
12-Jul	1,313,755	343,314	275,425	1,932,494
19-Jul	1,345,114	359,881	289,544	1,994,539
26-Jul	1,386,355	367,623	303,230	2,057,208
2-Aug	1,343,514	355,596	322,643	2,021,753
9-Aug	1,411,115	385,771	303,273	2,100,159
16-Aug	1,362,931	353,142	257,459	1,973,532
23-Aug	1,436,786	387,797	279,886	2,104,469
30-Aug	1,580,513	419,330	333,834	2,333,677
6-Sep	1,630,992	428,665	333,173	2,392,830
13-Sep	1,618,446	432,162	345,327	2,395,935
20-Sep	1,502,915	437,676	286,524	2,227,115
27-Sep	1,533,592	442,461	297,248	2,273,301
4-Oct	1,515,680	406,840	267,040	2,189,560
11-Oct	1,537,559	383,087	265,885	2,186,531
18-Oct	1,346,619	330,082	214,392	1,891,093
25-Oct	876,747	206,039	113,250	1,196,036
1-Nov	1,148,715	286,110	184,547	1,619,372
8-Nov	1,171,793	290,151	175,989	1,637,933
15-Nov	1,200,377	300,783	191,122	1,692,282
22-Nov	1,239,144	307,185	198,651	1,744,980
29-Nov	1,531,864	394,499	277,354	2,203,717
6-Dec	1,686,019	438,379	316,210	2,440,608
13-Dec	1,725,502	438,423	330,387	2,494,312
20-Dec	1,145,902	289,867	188,230	1,623,999
27-Dec	740,923	176,527	108,781	1,026,231
03-Jan 2021	748,249	184,722	108,960	1,041,931
10-Jan	733,387	183,439	90,673	1,007,499
17-Jan	732,763	184,267	93,610	1,010,640
24-Jan	741,770	189,800	93,032	1,024,602
31-Jan	788,069	200,704	104,897	1,093,670
7-Feb	771,818	198,143	96,252	1,066,213
14-Feb	834,579	207,578	110,225	1,152,382
21-Feb	879,459	207,738	123,968	1,211,165
28-Feb	945,924	240,561	144,058	1,330,543
7-Mar	958,077	240,176	136,507	1,334,760
14-Mar	951,775	244,198	146,201	1,342,174
21-Mar	1,023,741	263,125	148,522	1,435,388
28-Mar	1,002,671	257,114	172,052	1,431,837
4-Apr	909,983	236,391	142,224	1,288,598
11-Apr	1,173,626	310,561	225,420	1,709,607
18-Apr	1,204,436	320,715	243,777	1,768,928
25-Apr	1,213,543	320,737	237,706	1,771,986
Source: National Transport Authority

Open in Excel: Transport Bulletin 2021 Series 13 Table 3.1 (XLS 13KB)

X-axis label	2019	2020	2021
Week 1	549533	602998	141651
Week 2	839022	828455	154882
Week 3	819359	889804	147908
Week 4	860745	904841	150280
Week 5	912795	942828	148633
Week 6	912612	920121	156469
Week 7	940476	911461	154595
Week 8	952291	923869	158958
Week 9	929391	898856	173458
Week 10	941919	914613	182546
Week 11	924998	684508	182343
Week 12	868205	172062	184592
Week 13	1003871	109378	194458
Week 14	933575	51655	193222
Week 15	945662	51695	175429
Week 16	842186	49393	232495
Week 17	801296	55246	240221
Week 18	919255	53321	237120
Week 19	817933	62327
Week 20	904983	70288
Week 21	902415	97318
Week 22	973025	121645
Week 23	826269	116454
Week 24	925516	162187
Week 25	883208	198036
Week 26	905636	212109
Week 27	982288	260302
Week 28	919158	272181
Week 29	903958	281255
Week 30	926491	299837
Week 31	832452	329979
Week 32	807393	324687
Week 33	868677	327981
Week 34	862939	332762
Week 35	897355	352046
Week 36	933362	364177
Week 37	969818	385884
Week 38	990123	359756
Week 39	1031937	322384
Week 40	986159	334649
Week 41	1054749	350028
Week 42	1014017	338183
Week 43	1028522	283638
Week 44	924586	186287
Week 45	1019705	227605
Week 46	1038825	237979
Week 47	1062275	244276
Week 48	1113668	259772
Week 49	1080791	394613
Week 50	1151098	443719
Week 51	1173473	460029
Week 52	538511	276844

Table 3.2 Passenger journeys by Luas per week

Table 3.2 Passenger journeys by Luas per week
Week number	Reference month	Red Line				Green Line				Total
Week number	Reference month	2019	2020	2021	% change	2019	2020	2021	% change	2019	2020	2021	% change
1	Dec / Jan	274,139	304,607	71,440	-76.5	275,394	298,391	70,211	-76.5	549,533	602,998	141,651	-76.5
2	January	408,199	401,704	86,518	-78.5	430,823	426,751	68,364	-84.0	839,022	828,455	154,882	-81.3
3	January	376,785	436,427	83,202	-80.9	442,574	453,378	64,705	-85.7	819,359	889,804	147,908	-83.4
4	January	405,224	438,798	84,576	-80.7	455,521	466,044	65,704	-85.9	860,745	904,841	150,280	-83.4
5	January	441,197	460,495	84,355	-81.7	471,598	482,333	64,278	-86.7	912,795	942,828	148,633	-84.2
6	February	449,398	460,914	87,285	-81.1	463,215	459,207	69,184	-84.9	912,612	920,121	156,469	-83.0
7	February	466,795	448,811	86,266	-80.8	473,682	462,651	68,329	-85.2	940,476	911,461	154,595	-83.0
8	February	480,974	461,085	85,601	-81.4	471,317	462,784	73,357	-84.1	952,291	923,869	158,958	-82.8
9	February	468,299	437,082	95,896	-78.1	461,093	461,774	77,563	-83.2	929,391	898,856	173,458	-80.7
10	March	475,467	472,655	99,907	-78.9	466,451	441,958	82,639	-81.3	941,919	914,613	182,546	-80.0
11	March	442,796	347,419	100,098	-71.2	482,201	337,090	82,245	-75.6	924,998	684,508	182,343	-73.4
12	March	440,137	94,591	97,816	3.4	428,068	77,471	86,775	12.0	868,205	172,062	184,592	7.3
13	March	516,298	64,188	103,504	61.3	487,573	45,190	90,954	101.3	1,003,871	109,378	194,458	77.8
14	Mar / Apr	457,616	30,357	104,351	243.7	475,959	21,298	88,872	317.3	933,575	51,655	193,222	274.1
15	April	469,346	31,902	94,942	197.6	476,316	19,793	80,488	306.6	945,662	51,695	175,429	239.4
16	April	426,377	29,666	118,595	299.8	415,809	19,727	113,900	477.4	842,186	49,393	232,495	370.7
17	April	408,238	33,589	126,802	277.5	393,058	21,657	113,419	423.7	801,296	55,246	240,221	334.8
18	April	453,764	30,363	125,669	313.9	465,491	22,958	111,451	385.5	919,255	53,321	237,120	344.7
19	May	411,312	37,373		-90.9	406,621	24,953		-93.9	817,933	62,327		-92.4
20	May	446,595	42,233		-90.5	458,388	28,056		-93.9	904,983	70,288		-92.2
21	May	455,929	57,828		-87.3	446,486	39,490		-91.2	902,415	97,318		-89.2
22	May	502,622	70,711		-85.9	470,403	50,934		-89.2	973,025	121,645		-87.5
23	June	422,419	66,098		-84.4	403,850	50,356		-87.5	826,269	116,454		-85.9
24	June	471,816	91,498		-80.6	453,700	70,689		-84.4	925,516	162,187		-82.5
25	June	444,675	104,738		-76.4	438,533	93,298		-78.7	883,208	198,036		-77.6
26	June	457,342	111,503		-75.6	448,295	100,606		-77.6	905,636	212,109		-76.6
27	Jun / Jul	498,818	132,545		-73.4	483,470	127,756		-73.6	982,288	260,302		-73.5
28	July	478,360	144,676		-69.8	440,798	127,505		-71.1	919,158	272,181		-70.4
29	July	452,205	147,109		-67.5	451,753	134,146		-70.3	903,958	281,255		-68.9
30	July	469,191	153,043		-67.4	457,300	146,794		-67.9	926,491	299,837		-67.6
31	Jul / Aug	422,939	175,329		-58.5	409,513	154,650		-62.2	832,452	329,979		-60.4
32	August	423,004	173,546		-59.0	384,389	151,141		-60.7	807,393	324,687		-59.8
33	August	445,915	166,560		-62.6	422,762	161,421		-61.8	868,677	327,981		-62.2
34	August	448,568	176,256		-60.7	414,371	156,507		-62.2	862,939	332,762		-61.4
35	August	442,634	183,972		-58.4	454,721	168,074		-63.0	897,355	352,046		-60.8
36	Aug / Sept	454,849	181,996		-60.0	478,513	182,181		-61.9	933,362	364,177		-61.0
37	September	469,489	196,461		-58.2	500,329	189,424		-62.1	969,818	385,884		-60.2
38	September	484,461	183,897		-62.0	505,662	175,859		-65.2	990,123	359,756		-63.7
39	September	515,967	158,777		-69.2	515,970	163,607		-68.3	1,031,937	322,384		-68.8
40	Sept / Oct	484,015	167,616		-65.4	502,144	167,033		-66.7	986,159	334,649		-66.1
41	October	534,986	174,748		-67.3	519,763	175,280		-66.3	1,054,749	350,028		-66.8
42	October	499,959	164,088		-67.2	514,057	174,095		-66.1	1,014,017	338,183		-66.6
43	October	502,241	145,295		-71.1	526,281	138,343		-73.7	1,028,522	283,638		-72.4
44	October	471,553	102,521		-78.3	453,032	83,766		-81.5	924,586	186,287		-79.9
45	November	497,796	118,170		-76.3	521,908	109,435		-79.0	1,019,705	227,605		-77.7
46	November	514,523	124,527		-75.8	524,302	113,452		-78.4	1,038,825	237,979		-77.1
47	November	530,882	129,443		-75.6	531,392	114,833		-78.4	1,062,275	244,276		-77.0
48	November	544,022	133,829		-75.4	569,646	125,944		-77.9	1,113,668	259,772		-76.7
49	Nov / Dec	519,257	195,204		-62.4	561,534	199,409		-64.5	1,080,791	394,613		-63.5
50	December	556,229	214,437		-61.4	594,869	229,282		-61.5	1,151,098	443,719		-61.5
51	December	550,775	223,291		-59.5	622,699	236,739		-62.0	1,173,473	460,029		-60.8
52	December	259,211	135,020		-47.9	279,301	141,825		-49.2	538,511	276,844		-48.6
Source: Transport Infrastructure Ireland

Open in Excel: Transport Bulletin 2021 Series 13 Table 3.2 (XLS 16KB)

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 count 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. In April 2020 the volume of cyclists measured during peak hours was 76% lower than in April 2019. Volumes during peak hours in April 2021 were 111.1% higher than April 2020 but were 49.3% lower than April 2019. Compared to March 2021 the volume of cyclists measured during peak hours was 13.0% higher in April 2021.

The volume of cyclists during off-peak hours exceeded 2019 and 2020 levels. Volumes for April 2021 were 111.1% higher than April 2020 and 26.3% higher than in April 2019. Compared to March 2021 the volume of cyclists measured during off-peak hours was 16.4% higher in April 2021.

	2019 Peak	2020 Peak	2021 Peak	2020 Off peak	2021 Peak	2021 Off peak
January	120861	127097	30241	82059	86118	62520
February	115392	110037	33931	82802	76481	67019
March	114304	76635	53046	90355	70315	99032
April	118120	28396	59939	91287	54611	115262
May	137132	43260	105374	111189
June	112541	55009	99378	110170
July	146190	64701	113917	109296
August	129797	58210	108179	119001
September	140262	78388	108352	115860
October	140226	63867	103886	104946
November	121607	57702	91845	93118
December	84178	46652	77375	79108

Table 3.3 Monthly volume of bicycles at selected Dublin sites

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Table 3.3 Monthly volume of bicycles at selected Dublin sites
	Peak¹				Off-Peak¹				Total
	2019²	2020²	2021²	% change	2019²	2020²	2021²	% change	2019	2020	2021	% change
January	120,861	127,097	30,241	-76.2	82,059	86,118	62,520	-27.4	202,920	213,215	92,761	-56.5
February	115,392	110,037	33,931	-69.2	82,802	76,481	67,019	-12.4	198,194	186,518	100,950	-45.9
March	114,304	76,635	53,046	-30.8	90,355	70,315	99,032	40.8	204,659	146,950	152,078	3.5
April	118,120	28,396	59,939	111.1	91,287	54,611	115,262	111.1	209,407	83,007	175,201	111.1
May	137,132	43,260		-68.5	105,374	111,189		5.5	242,506	154,449		-36.3
June	112,541	55,009		-51.1	99,378	110,170		10.9	211,919	165,179		-22.1
July	146,190	64,701		-55.7	113,917	109,296		-4.1	260,107	173,997		-33.1
August	129,797	58,210		-55.1	108,179	119,001		10.0	237,976	177,211		-25.5
September	140,262	78,388		-44.1	108,352	115,860		6.9	248,614	194,248		-21.9
October	140,226	63,867		-54.5	103,886	104,946		1.0	244,112	168,813		-30.8
November	121,607	57,702		-52.6	91,845	93,118		1.4	213,452	150,820		-29.3
December	84,178	46,652		-44.6	77,375	79,108		2.2	161,553	125,760		-22.2
Source: Dublin City Council
¹Peak hours are 7-10am & 4-7pm, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays. Off-peak refers to all other times
² Data has been adjusted classifying all public holidays as off-peak

Transport Bulletin May 2021

Public and Other Transport

Public and Other Transport

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