Huge WRC article in Farmers Journal, with map etc

Chris_533976 · 21-05-2007 4:00pm

I really dont understand what the problem with Navan rail is.

Just fix the damn thing.

Do Cork - Midleton.
Do WRC from Ennis to Athenry and set up Galway commuter rail from that side.
Do Dublin - Navan.

ALL AT ONCE, NOW.

I cannot for the life of me see what all the fuss and problem is about with this - whos screwing up and who is messing about. The lobby group for Navan is doing a phenomenal job, but in all sanity, they shouldnt be there because they shouldnt need to be there. The rail link should have been done years ago.

JUST BUILD THEM ALL ASAP, THIS FARCE WOULD NOT HAPPEN ELSEWHERE IN EUROPE.

Zoney · 21-05-2007 4:20pm

Chris_533976 wrote:

JUST BUILD THEM ALL ASAP, THIS FARCE WOULD NOT HAPPEN ELSEWHERE IN EUROPE.

Neither would they be content to just leave a city without clean drinking water, allow people to just continue to have to wait hours and hours for beds in hospitals and years for operations, allow developments and transport to be so badly planned that the average commute is 70 mins each way, expect a "knowledge economy" yet not provide even the buildings for primary and secondary schooling nevermind enough teachers for sensible class sizes and not provide enough funding for third level despite ample public coffers.

Will people vote for change later in the week though? There seem to be a surprising number of people who won't. People mentioned in this thread an objection to the alternative coalition's WRC plans. Well, is that a big deal or showstopper even if you don't want it, compared to the billions the current crowd squandered on mismanagement of road projects that went over budget? ("ah sure, it was a learning curve and it's sorted now" doesn't cut it) I can scarce believe there's anyone content to have the current crowd for another five years.

Navan Junction · 21-05-2007 4:35pm

Zoney wrote:

I can scarce believe there's anyone content to have the current crowd for another five years.

I'm not sure 'content' comes in to it - I wouldn't use that word in relation to any of the combinations....

Maybe an FF/Lab coalition might be better, esp if they aren't too cosy together.

I'm not enamoured with FF by any means, but the thoughts of FG/Lab just doesn't do anything for me.

I was profoundly disappointed with Enda Kenny's attitude to transport in Meath when I met him a few weeks ago, so that probably has alot to do with my thinking.

I admire the Greens pushing public transport, but I take some of their plans with a pinch of salt too.

You can only build what you can afford. If the Greens were elected to Government, they would have to priotitise but under their philosophy the prioritisation would be based on environmental rather than political considerations, so I wouldn't fear their manifesto too much

Schuhart · 21-05-2007 4:47pm

Navan Junction wrote:

I'm not enamoured with FF by any means, but the thoughts of FG/Lab just doesn't do anything for me.

I think that's the issue - its the lack of an alternative, rather than confidence in the present crowd. The significance of the FG commitment to the WRC isn't a big deal in isolation. Its just that it illustrates that FG's 'thinking' is not much clearer and the fear they do nothing in the GDA is palpable. Honestly, WRC gets a special mention and nothing at all about Interconnector? What does that say about how FG decide priorities?

For my own part, my vote is likely to be Independent/Labour/Green in that order. But, in truth, there's no party out there offering a significant alternative.

Zoney · 21-05-2007 4:53pm

Navan Junction wrote:

Maybe an FF/Lab coalition might be better, esp if they aren't too cosy together.

There are a fair few people feel the same way, but lets face it, there's no way Labour can do that considering the potential awkward problems arising from the tribunal in the months ahead. Nevermind the substantial section of party support that wouldn't condone going with FF. Finally even getting past all that there's the policy differences.

I do agree that Meath is in a pretty desperate situation, and I can understand why many there would support the M3, and be rather miffed at the WRC going ahead while they wait for any rail link of their own. I fear the problems Meath has though are merely a nasty manifestation of the management of the whole country. It simply can't continue that people have to live further and further away from where they work. Better infrastructure alone is not going to solve that problem.

dermo88 · 21-05-2007 7:39pm

I think its deeper than anyone thinks, and no tribunal will ever get to the bottom of the whole mess.

1. The Government has money, the state has money, but it has not realised that handling the prosperity dividend needs a lot more competence than reviving an economy.

2. Better the devil you know, than the devil you don't.

3. The WRC between Limerick and Galway has a clearly defined alignment with old track in placethat has been there since the 1860's and in regular use until the 1990's. Its ready to roll. The same applies to Cork-Midleton. I am half in favour of the WRC, the Southern half that works.

By contrast Navan to Clonsilla does not have a clearly defined alignment at the time of writing, as the alignment has been built on in places. That can be solved, with relative ease. But the alignment needs to be raised 3 meters in places, since some of it was prone to flooding.

4. Zoney, agree.....the way is upwards, not outwards. But its a bit late now for that, so we've got to clean up the mess using high density public transport. That keeps the construction industry going. There is space for high rise, but its going to need a clear, Singapore style plan to do it, with clear objectives for 10-20 years ahead.

Or does it. After all, there is no Irish company with the expertise in the railway technology field. Its going to be Alsthom, Siemens, Mistui, Balfour Beatty etc supplying the staff and expertise. Thats why its roads all the way in Ireland, and why its TGV and ICE in France and Germany, because the companies in those countries have political links, have decades of experience

5. When was the last downturn in the construction industry in Ireland, and who was in power? They obviously did not know the 'right' people.

6. One thing you pointed out on your blog....abolish local authorities.

Local authorities are cesspits of corruption and the home of amateur wannabees. A man said to me once "Watch the first ten ****ers who go up to communion, and whatever you do in life, never deal with them".

I watched.

Two county councillors. All holiness, prayers and smiles and suits.

Hehehe.....Jeez....your right

Its just worth going to mass once, just once to observe who is who. So you know who these venal pharisees and hypocrites are when they turn up on your doorstep. Plus, the Internet is a wonderful little assistant in preparing for all those awkward questions.

Navan Junction · 21-05-2007 10:47pm

dermo88 wrote:

But the alignment needs to be raised 3 meters in places, since some of it was prone to flooding.

That's just at the Pace P&R section with the Tolka

Transport21 Fan · 22-05-2007 2:36pm

Navan Junction wrote:

That's just at the Pace P&R section with the Tolka

Which makes me think that they would not go to this engineering expense and trouble if the intention was never to serve Navan.

Navan is a dead cert I believe, it's just too far back on the food chain. This is why getting the WRC downgraded or scrapped is so vital.

The WRC is not an election issue in Sligo. Not one of the party flyers which came though my door mentioned it. The Western Rail Corridor has ceased to be.

The stage is now set for lobbying for a walking/cycle trail from Tuam to Coolooney now. Which would be a fantastic project.

Schuhart · 22-05-2007 3:35pm

Transport21 Fan wrote:

The stage is now set for lobbying for a walking/cycle trail from Tuam to Coolooney now. Which would be a fantastic project.

This is the typical West Brit Dublin-centric anti rural mindset that can only see the West as a playground.

If the Western Rail Corridor is not being proceeded with, then an obvious alternative use for the rail bed would be the development of the Western Particle Acceleration Laboratory.

dowlingm · 22-05-2007 8:35pm

the problem with "do it all, together, now" is that IE is like a junkie, going through long periods of withdrawal followed by intermittent cash injections. If IE had stable funding and the ability to plan and build a 20 year capital plan then it could offer a long term career to engineers and other technical staff beyond the "state of good repair plus one expansion project" which it can handle at present. Instead IE can only hire on as many as it knows it can keep because you never know when some feckin flat earther like Olivia Mitchell might darken the door at the DofT.

Huge WRC article in Farmers Journal, with map etc

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