I was in Waterford this weekend and did a bit of research on this (well ok, I read the local paper and asked a few locals). Let's get one thing straight -- all that BE are doing is replacing some of the bus fleet and saying that they theoretically might increase frequency on some routes, as well as extending some routes. Maybe. Some day.
Almost all modern diesel engines can run on a biofuel/diesel mix.
No change in journey time. No change in passenger information systems. Nothing that will affect the situation that outside of Dublin, only the poor and desparate take the bus.
There really is nothing new in these proposals. All the articles above are saying is that Bus Eireann have tarted up their PR operation a bit.
That's not to say that you couldn't replicate the success of Luas for a fraction of the cost in Waterford, Cork, Limerick and Galway, with proper Luas-style stations, real time passenger information, turn up n' go frequencies, and fast journey times with bus lanes and priority at junctions.
But this ain't it.
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