If you have been negatively impacted by the replacement of routes 9, 26, 40, 40b, 49, 54a, 83, 83a, 123 and 140 by the F spine and its associated routes, please read on and sign this petition.

The introduction of the new F Spine routes by the NTA on 19th October 2025 have caused nothing but issues since their rollout. 

Residents in both North Dublin and South Dublin have been affected, with routes sent through traffic bottlenecks and via areas with no bus lanes. This has significantly increased journey times for most residents. In addition, several communities have been cut out of the new spine services, where they previously had a bus. Others have been forced to take multiple buses, when their previous routes served them perfectly well. Passengers have suffered with increased journey times, missed connections and fewer options for connections. Elderly passengers, passengers with mobility issues, and children were clearly not considered in this process.

In addition, the new F spine buses are frequently full during the evening rush hour, leaving passengers to either stand on the bus, or unable to board at all. This was not an issue with previous links that started from the city centre. It has also pushed people into other routes or back into their cars, the opposite effect of what the NTA hoped for.

The predominant issues raised on both the North and South sides include:

- Significantly longer journey times to the city centre during peak times, adding between 20 to 40 additional minutes onto commutes.

- Lack of connection between Finglas West and South.

- Much reduced connection between Tallaght/Firhouse and Templeogue/Terenure villages.

- Routing of the F spine through Kimmage and Kevin Street in the south, and the Whitworth Road in Drumcondra, which are known traffic bottlenecks.

- Diversion of the F spine routes through areas without bus lanes or bus priority.

- Requiring passengers to connect more frequently, when the current service is unreliable.

- Requiring passengers to take several buses to get to the same destination, where one bus would have previously been required.

- Claiming that the trade of for longer journey times and more connections is a more streamlined service, when the opposite is true 

- Claiming that since the new routes run in a straight line, that they are therefore faster.

- Failure of routes 23 and 24 to serve the North City Centre.

- Absence of a bus service to Beneavin Road and Glasnevin Avenue.

- Loss of connectivity in several areas, encompassing nursing homes, universities and schools.

- Increased "ghost buses" and lower frequency of buses, resulting in increased wait times of up to 40 minutes in some cases during peak hours.

- Buses being too full during peak hours to let passengers on, due to a route length that is almost double what it was previously.

- Significant gaps between bus stops.

- Lack of proper shelters at several bus stops.

When the NTA or TFI have been contacted for comment, by the public or by TDs, the answers are cold, dismissive and in several cases not the truth. Several passengers have been told that since their new route runs in a straight line, it will get them to their destination quicker. This is false. 

In addition to contacting local councillors and TDs, the motion must be pushed for the Minister for Transport and the Senate to demand an investigation into how these routes are run. Action must be taken to keep communities connected in the ways they were before, and to streamline the transport experience. What the NTA have claimed is "better" is far from it. This is not what we were promised. If we stand together, we can change this.