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Rosslare-Connolly "retimed" departure of 19:15

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13

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  • Options
    #62
    dowlingm
    Registered Users Posts: 5,309 ✭✭✭dowlingm


    Trains from Wicklow north should be supporting 6 x 22K and 8 x 29K when demand allows to get the most out of the infrastructure and paths into Pearse/Connolly not to mention help pay the cost of reinforcing the rock barriers below Bray Head, but it's physically impossible to build platforms to that length, thus there SHOULD be a culture of "move to the front". The failure to fit SDO (although a tender was offered for it) to the 22Ks has never been explained. The result was short trains and cheesed off commuters crammed into them.

    A lot of the issues around ferry loadings were gone over when the Waterford-Rosslare service finished but I think the best thing for the prospects for Rosslare would be for the port to be removed from IE ownership. In other (not necessarily private) ownership we would find out fairly quickly how much the port company valued foot traffic and what it would do to attract it. Don't believe me? Ask yourself if IE owned Belview how many freight services would go into it, and where services took a hiatus like the DFDS Ballina how hard they would try and regain it.

    At the same time, a port operator mightn't care how it got the business as long as it got it and if that means Wexford Bus or Bus Eireann filling a 50 seat bus which in IE's hands would be a 25% loaded 22K then that's just how it is.


  • Options
    #63
    end of the road
    Registered Users Posts: 28,984 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    Irish rail and even cie before that have been shuffling and swapping and changing times in the hope of finding a timetable that works.
    nonsense, CIE have been trying everything to close lines since their inception.
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    This line and the nenagh branch line have been doomed for years.
    because they have been ran down toards closure for years
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    Not by irish rail but by the way we live and work now and we aren't as dependent on the railway as we once were.
    yes by irish rail, and CIE before it. and the reason we aren't as dependant on the railways now is because most have a car, not a good enough reason to get rid of them either.
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    This is progress and for the most part it is good.
    how is it progress? people having a car? since the 50s and 60s when cars became more affordable people have had them.
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    If people dont like it they should find some place where time has stood still for the last fifty years.
    seriously what does that mean? dublins tram system was seen as outdated and their bus replacements as the future, look what has happened, we have re-installed a new tram system called luas, in england a few railways seen as non-viable were re-opened. the fact is irish rail don't care and have no interest, theirs no incentive to make them work.

    ticking a box on a form does not make you of a religion.



  • Options
    #64
    Judgement Day
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    All stations are not suitable for 22000s - the platforms at Rathdrum are too short and cannot be lengthened to accommodate a six-piece set. The lack of SDO means that passengers are squashed into 4-car sets instead but this is working itself out as passengers abandon the railway.


  • Options
    #65
    end of the road
    Registered Users Posts: 28,984 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    Someone hinted before about many of those who stamp their feet about changes not actually using the services and this may well be the case as it seems many people still think the boat traffic will fill even one train carriage when most evenings a taxi would do!
    because you use every service in the country don't you
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    just because people's last memory using a service is of large numbers of passengers does not mean that people have not switched to their new cars or cheaper and often faster buses.
    maybe their last memory was of a service yesterday, so that statement goes out the window
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    None so blind as those who wont open their eyes!
    talking about yourself there, blind to how irish rail and/CIE operate.

    ticking a box on a form does not make you of a religion.



  • Options
    #66
    end of the road
    Registered Users Posts: 28,984 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    I would think that the issue with that is train lengths and the resulting coupled trains being much longer than some of the platforms which is another relic of the past thankfully now long forgotten! Passengers for Athy Carlow etc please move to the front carriages to get off the train!
    their was nothing wrong with that system, back in the days when people took Responsibility for themselves and their own actions, they should have left that system and if people couldn't understand it or follow it then they shouldn't be out in public
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    rural Wales has a far higher population density than the areas around Rosslare and many of those getting the train are only going local.
    and? obviously some people will be going local, their hardly going to burma now are they?
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    They might not be faster much of the time but they are far cheaper and far cheaper to operate and also far more flexible than the train which is severely limited by so many external factors.
    not on the rosslare route their not much cheeper, another poster has just told you and i'm telling you, someone who actually lives down here, a train can be as flexible as you order it to be during preperation for the order, a bus may be only cheeper to operate because it has 1 engine but have 3 of them going at the same time to the same place and it won't be much less then our ICRS

    ticking a box on a form does not make you of a religion.



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    #67
    end of the road
    Registered Users Posts: 28,984 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    But is there any point promoting a service that has no potential because of its irrelevance?
    irrelevant? are you serious? can tell you don't use and have never used it, yes it isn't dart frequency or as crowded as dart but its far from being irrelevant.
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    Nobody wants to use the train to or from Rosslare
    any evidence to back that up or just another bunch of lies?
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    this has been shown by Irish Rail changing the times to suit just about all those with an interest.
    suit themselves more like it, rosslare waterford was operated in such a way so that the crew could get the last bus back to waterford meaning any commuters couldn't use the service.
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    Advertising and promotion of services cost a lot of money which is already being spent on keeping this very awkward coastal/mountainous line open.
    don't tell, nobody will know, i can definitely tell you have never used it, its no more awkward then any other line, the only trains which had a problem were the 2700s which weren't designed for such lines and distances anyway
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    Moving forward is usually not a problem except where there are wheelchair users and also where there is no SDO on the trains.
    they survived before, and they will survive now, selective door opening should actually be a legal requirement for all trains around the world, reasons may arise where it could be useful and be needed.
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    This was obviously not required on the new 22000s
    no, they just didn't think of it
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    the trains are suitable for all platform sizes
    not down here their not where were stuck with 3 car cattle carts, and i suspect their are many other services where their not suitable either
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    the cost of ordering SDO on the off-chance that one in a thousand trains might be a consist of two separate trains is just madness!
    really? do you know the cost of selective door opening? 1 in 1000 trains might be a consist of 2? how did you come up with that?
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    The mark3 trains are gone for good and people will just have to accept and stop the whining and hand wringing over past dreams and illusions.
    nobody mentioned the mark 3s apart from you but now as you have i will say this, no i won't ever give up moaning about how these young properly built trains are being left to rott and face the cutters, and as for "past dreams and illusions" the same past dreams and illusions that would have made our railway into a proper decent railway that the country could be prowd of

    ticking a box on a form does not make you of a religion.



  • Options
    #68
    BenShermin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 701 ✭✭✭BenShermin


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    How many ocasions in the last few years has your sail-rail travel plans coincided with bank holidays or other events that artificially boost passenger numbers and how many are getting the train in Rosslare? is it more than 30?
    I've never used this service on a bank holiday or special event. I normally use this service on a normal Monday afternoon. In answer to your other question; nobody gets the train in Rosslare because there is NO train off the afternoon ferry!!
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    Nothing to do with us here in the Republic of Ireland, but even rural Wales has a far higher population density than the areas around Rosslare and many of those getting the train are only going local.

    It's quite obvious you never use the service so. In my experience most of the people using the boat train on the Welsh side get on in Cardiff or Swansea, very few get on in Pembrokeshire stations.
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    They might not be faster much of the time but they are far cheaper and far cheaper to operate and also far more flexible than the train which is severely limited by so many external factors.
    Again it's quite obvious you never use the service down this way, the bus isn't far cheaper than the train. In fact a return ticket on IÉ if booked in advance is cheaper than BÉ from Dublin to Rosslare.

    As for it being limited to external factors if IÉ had any consistency with timetabling on this route we wouldn't be having this conversation.


  • Options
    #69
    LXFlyer
    Registered Users Posts: 17,542 ✭✭✭✭LXFlyer


    This conversation does seem to be getting away from the fact that there IS now a train to/from Dublin that connects with all Stena sailings at Rosslare with the exception of the 0900 from Rosslare (which is GOOD news).


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    #70
    purplepanda
    Registered Users Posts: 1,051 ✭✭✭purplepanda


    corktina wrote: »

    PS noone was interested in Rosslare to Waterford, but maybe they might be interested in Rosslare to Limerick, I can't begin to understand how 5 services a day can be run to Galway from Limerick but only 2 to Waterford et al.

    New rail operating companies might be interested in Rosslare - Limerick IF they were allowed access to other parts of the network, allowing access to regional towns & cities outside their core franchise services.

    Any prospective company would be less likely to be interested if they were only allowed to run services from LK - RS and nowhere else.

    IE will pull out the all the stops to prevent this happening! :mad:


  • Options
    #71
    corktina
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,733 ✭✭✭✭corktina


    lxflyer wrote: »
    This conversation does seem to be getting away from the fact that there IS now a train to/from Dublin that connects with all Stena sailings at Rosslare with the exception of the 0900 from Rosslare (which is GOOD news).

    it's a small step in the right direction, so now there are three trains connecting with 2 arrivals and 1 departure?


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    #72
    LXFlyer
    Registered Users Posts: 17,542 ✭✭✭✭LXFlyer


    corktina wrote: »
    it's a small step in the right direction, so now there are three trains connecting with 2 arrivals and 1 departure?

    Correct. The only sailing that isn't connected is the 09:00 departure from Rosslare.


  • Options
    #73
    cbl593h
    Closed Accounts Posts: 193 ✭✭cbl593h


    lxflyer wrote: »
    This conversation does seem to be getting away from the fact that there IS now a train to/from Dublin that connects with all Stena sailings at Rosslare with the exception of the 0900 from Rosslare (which is GOOD news).

    Someone mentioned on faceache the most pertinent point about through ticketing- what if the boat is late and who picks up the tab for getting the people stranded at Rosslare to their destination ???

    That's why we won't see through ticketing again.


  • Options
    #74
    dowlingm
    Registered Users Posts: 5,309 ✭✭✭dowlingm


    IIRC there is at least one loop platform on the Westport line, possibly two, which can only allow trains pass at present if one of them is a 3-car 22K. SDO would allow a little more flexible pathing by allowing 2 x 6 car 22Ks pass where there are no other caveats and thus reduce some of the crowding on those services.


  • Options
    #75
    Jamie2k9
    Registered Users Posts: 10,667 ✭✭✭✭Jamie2k9


    New rail operating companies might be interested in Rosslare - Limerick IF they were allowed access to other parts of the network, allowing access to regional towns & cities outside their core franchise services.

    Any prospective company would be less likely to be interested if they were only allowed to run services from LK - RS and nowhere else.

    IE will pull out the all the stops to prevent this happening! mad.png

    Any operator can operate on IE's network in 2014 once they have submitted 6 months in advance of timetable planning cycle ie July 13 for Jan 14 start.

    The main point is another operate does not want to entre a market and lose millions on providing a service. No point in saying IE could stop them when they can't. A private operator isn't going to keep losses going but IE have to for political reasons.

    Why have the two operators not resumed Waterford-Rosslare services. It's simple they did the sums and realised they wouldn't make a single penny. I would love an operator to take over both Rosslare to Dublin and Waterford and then shut up both lines again in a year. Then people wouldn't be long begging IE to reopen services again even if they are poor on the Dublin line. This IE don't want this is bull****, it business and major loss making routes are not viable, Don't use the excuse of the WRC.

    Something like this needs to happen for people on here who are in fantacity land and don't have a clue about business.

    IE are a charity and a private operate are not, IE sustain losses because they have to, a private operator won't.


  • Options
    #76
    end of the road
    Registered Users Posts: 28,984 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    Jamie2k9 wrote: »
    Why have the two operators not resumed Waterford-Rosslare services. It's simple they did the sums and realised they wouldn't make a single penny.
    irish rail was never going to re-open a line a few years after closure, 20 30 years maybe but not 2 3.
    Jamie2k9 wrote: »
    I would love an operator to take over both Rosslare to Dublin and Waterford and then shut up both lines again in a year. Then people wouldn't be long begging IE to reopen services again even if they are poor on the Dublin line.
    look, we had lots of money in the country for a few years yet irish rail did very little to improve the rosslare dublin line, just because we have a couple more services then the old days of the 3 trains a day doesn't mean we should just sit there and be greatful for the extra crums we have got when other lines have gotten improvements, trains are not much faster then they were in the old days of the 3 trains a day infact some services are slower even though the extra stops were introduced at the end of the 3 trains a day service, were not asking for an hourly service all though it would be nice, but were asking for more then we have got, what is so wrong with that?
    Jamie2k9 wrote: »
    This IE don't want this is bull****, it business and major loss making routes are not viable, Don't use the excuse of the WRC.
    the WRC was the reason rosslare waterford closed, it was ran down years before closure, it wasn't the ending of the beat that closed it.
    Jamie2k9 wrote: »
    Something like this needs to happen for people on here who are in fantacity land and don't have a clue about business.
    in fairness IE don't know enough about business, if they did they would be doing everything possible to attract customers to the railway both passenger and freight

    ticking a box on a form does not make you of a religion.



  • Options
    #77
    Jamie2k9
    Registered Users Posts: 10,667 ✭✭✭✭Jamie2k9


    irish rail was never going to re-open a line a few years after closure, 20 30 years maybe but not 2 3.

    It wasn't IE call to open it or not, passenger services are allowed once an operator is willing to do it and IE can't do a thing to stop it.
    look, we had lots of money in the country for a few years yet irish rail did very little to improve the rosslare dublin line, just because we have a couple more services then the old days of the 3 trains a day doesn't mean we should just sit there and be greatful for the extra crums we have got when other lines have gotten improvements, trains are not much faster then they were in the old days of the 3 trains a day infact some services are slower even though the extra stops were introduced at the end of the 3 trains a day service, were not asking for an hourly service all though it would be nice, but were asking for more then we have got, what is so wrong with that?

    We can go over this until the cows come on all IE got very little only to expand commuter rail in Dublin and Cork area, replace Mark3's and safety works. Very little was spend on other lines. What Rosslare got Waterford, Galway, Westport got the same and that was just signalling. Bu right all transport sectors should of got equal amounts. Rail deserved a lot more but didn't get it.
    the WRC was the reason rosslare waterford closed, it was ran down years before closure, it wasn't the ending of the beat that closed it.

    It was indeed and this is why everyone needs to do whats possible to stop the WRC going any further as once it does other lines will close. People need to send in as many greenway emails/letters as possible to stop it.
    in fairness IE don't know enough about business, if they did they would be doing everything possible to attract customers to the railway both passenger and freight

    will agree to an extent but many people on here don't know much about railways either.


  • Options
    #78
    LXFlyer
    Registered Users Posts: 17,542 ✭✭✭✭LXFlyer


    cbl593h wrote: »
    Someone mentioned on faceache the most pertinent point about through ticketing- what if the boat is late and who picks up the tab for getting the people stranded at Rosslare to their destination ???

    That's why we won't see through ticketing again.

    The boat would want to be seriously delayed (45 mins plus) to miss the newly retimed evening train connection - the train will now leave 1 hour 15 minutes after the ferry arrives. Allowing (and I'm being cautious here) 15 minutes to get off the ship and through the terminal, and another 15 minutes to walk across to the station, that would leave 45 minutes before the train is due to leave.

    The morning ferry would need to be 35 minutes + to miss the rail connection.

    How often is the ship that late?

    There is a 20:30 Bus Eireann coach from Wexford - at worst there would be a taxi to catch that.


  • Options
    #79
    end of the road
    Registered Users Posts: 28,984 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    lxflyer wrote: »
    There is a 20:30 Bus Eireann coach from Wexford - at worst there would be a taxi to catch that.
    their shouldn't have to be a taxi involved at all, the bus should be leaving from rosslare instead of asking passengers to change just to go a few extra minutes to their destination, most likely the bus is running empty to and from rosslare anyway so it may as well take people

    ticking a box on a form does not make you of a religion.



  • Options
    #80
    LXFlyer
    Registered Users Posts: 17,542 ✭✭✭✭LXFlyer


    Oh for goodness sakes, what should be a good news story has become frankly a whinge. People have sought this change for so long, and when it happens what do we get? Nothing but people moaning.

    The likelihood of even having to do that transfer to Wexford is so small it's irrelevant, yet people here still focus on unlikely eventualities.

    Frankly I give up.


  • Options
    #81
    Judgement Day
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    Jamie2k9 wrote: »
    Any operator can operate on IE's network in 2014 once they have submitted 6 months in advance of timetable planning cycle ie July 13 for Jan 14 start.

    The main point is another operate does not want to entre a market and lose millions on providing a service. No point in saying IE could stop them when they can't. A private operator isn't going to keep losses going but IE have to for political reasons.

    Why have the two operators not resumed Waterford-Rosslare services. It's simple they did the sums and realised they wouldn't make a single penny. I would love an operator to take over both Rosslare to Dublin and Waterford and then shut up both lines again in a year. Then people wouldn't be long begging IE to reopen services again even if they are poor on the Dublin line. This IE don't want this is bull****, it business and major loss making routes are not viable, Don't use the excuse of the WRC.

    Something like this needs to happen for people on here who are in fantacity land and don't have a clue about business.

    IE are a charity and a private operate are not, IE sustain losses because they have to, a private operator won't.

    A private operator with State subvention would be an option worth exploring. The Sligo, Leitrim & Northern Counties (Enniskillen/Sligo) was in this postion in its final years and ran a very tight ship. The line was only finally killed when the GNR closed its line to Enniskillen. CIE/IE flounder from one crisis to another - many of them down to their own ineptitude - and in the meantime the railway staggers towards oblivion.


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    #82
    dowlingm
    Registered Users Posts: 5,309 ✭✭✭dowlingm


    the difference is though that a private operator will not have much truck with government shortchanging them on PSO type schemes. If that means trains running with high subvention per seat, as in the airline PSOs to places like Sligo, then that's the price the DoT will be obliged to pay.

    As for the revised service, I think it would be good if there was *some* way to get to Rosslare for the 9am sailing by public transport from north of Wexford. BE and Wexford Bus both operate along the coast to Wexford and from Wexford to Rosslare but neither in a continuous route, nor does any service reach Wexford southbound to connect to the 40 service which does meet that ferry.

    The fact that BE took the Rosslare leg off the 2 but not the 40 tells me they think most foot passengers to Rosslare are coming from the west not the north, and thus the case for spending substantial sums sending early trains of 200+ passenger capacity south to Europort seems weak.


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    #83
    Losty Dublin
    Registered Users Posts: 12,962 ✭✭✭✭Losty Dublin


    Judgement Day wrote: »
    A private operator with State subvention would be an option worth exploring. The Sligo, Leitrim & Northern Counties (Enniskillen/Sligo) was in this postion in its final years and ran a very tight ship. The line was only finally killed when the GNR closed its line to Enniskillen.

    The SLNC was unique in that it got subsidies from both governments and passing trade from both state owned networks; even then it barely paid it's way.

    In the UK, the experience has been that state top ups for public transport services have sky rocketed since BR was dismantled. And this with operators cutting costs and services to the bone. Invariably these companies would end up making ludicrous profits in the first place :rolleyes:


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    #84
    Jamie2k9
    Registered Users Posts: 10,667 ✭✭✭✭Jamie2k9


    Any sort of financial help from the state will never come with no strings attached and that's why it should not happen. It will just be another CIE over again and as Rosslare-Waterfrod was losing around 1.5 million with 1 return services just how much more if there was a regular two hourly services carried on a good day up to 40 passenger's on every train.
    Oh for goodness sakes, what should be a good news story has become frankly a whinge. People have sought this change for so long, and when it happens what do we get? Nothing but people moaning.

    The likelihood of even having to do that transfer to Wexford is so small it's irrelevant, yet people here still focus on unlikely eventualities.

    Frankly I give up.

    Good news and Irish Rail being discussed on boards in one conversation. Surly not....


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    #85
    end of the road
    Registered Users Posts: 28,984 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    Jamie2k9 wrote: »
    Rosslare-Waterfrod was losing around 1.5 million with 1 return services
    is their any figures out there to back that up other then the ones stated by vested interests?
    Jamie2k9 wrote: »
    just how much more if there was a regular two hourly services carried on a good day up to 40 passenger's on every train.
    use the 2 2750s, lines like rosslare waterford and limerick ballybroaphy are ideal for these units, all though no doubt they will be facing the cutters in a few years once they have gone through the biodigration program

    ticking a box on a form does not make you of a religion.



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    #86
    corktina
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,733 ✭✭✭✭corktina


    lxflyer wrote: »
    The boat would want to be seriously delayed (45 mins plus) to miss the newly retimed evening train connection - the train will now leave 1 hour 15 minutes after the ferry arrives. Allowing (and I'm being cautious here) 15 minutes to get off the ship and through the terminal, and another 15 minutes to walk across to the station, that would leave 45 minutes before the train is due to leave.

    The morning ferry would need to be 35 minutes + to miss the rail connection.

    How often is the ship that late?

    There is a 20:30 Bus Eireann coach from Wexford - at worst there would be a taxi to catch that.

    3 hour delay last night.... :-) I know I was on it :-(


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    #87
    Jamie2k9
    Registered Users Posts: 10,667 ✭✭✭✭Jamie2k9


    corktina wrote: »
    3 hour delay last night.... :-) I know I was on it :-(

    Delays are very rare and mainly due to weather. Technical problems such as happened yesterday don't happen very often.
    is their any figures out there to back that up other then the ones stated by vested interests?

    No sure but I think RUI may of quoted this figure and I'm sure they wouldn't have it posted if they were in correct. Staff costs at level crossings, fuel, driver, % of actual paying passengers. TBH I was surprised it wasn't higher.
    use the 2 2750s, lines like rosslare waterford and limerick ballybroaphy are ideal for these units, all though no doubt they will be facing the cutters in a few years once they have gone through the biodigration program

    That would be good but a private operator won't take the risk. Taxpayers can't pay for it though.


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    #88
    purplepanda
    Registered Users Posts: 1,051 ✭✭✭purplepanda


    Jamie2k9 wrote: »


    That would be good but a private operator won't take the risk. Taxpayers can't pay for it though.

    Taxpayers are already subsidising most & bus services, and rail services with few passengers like the WRC.

    SailRail is subsidised by, I assume both the Irish & British transport departments. Just compare a ticket price London to Holyhead with one from London to Dublin & back. Or any Irish rail zones to London or other British destinations.

    Attracting more visitors & tourists to Ireland is vitally important in the current recession, if government subsidy is required to run relevant transport links to enable journeys, then it is a price worth paying.

    More visitors & tourists means increased tax revenue, employment & other benefits.


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    #89
    corktina
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,733 ✭✭✭✭corktina


    Jamie2k9 wrote: »
    Delays are very rare and mainly due to weather. Technical problems such as happened yesterday don't happen very often.



    ah yes not too serious, Stena's management didn't think so anyway, as they didn't bother sending anyone to see the passengers sat in their manky coral for hours.Free cup of tea and 10% discount off next trip (which I get anyway :rolleyes:) doesn't cut much ice.


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    #90
    dowlingm
    Registered Users Posts: 5,309 ✭✭✭dowlingm


    end of the road wrote: »
    use the 2 2750s, lines like rosslare waterford and limerick ballybroaphy are ideal for these units, all though no doubt they will be facing the cutters in a few years once they have gone through the biodigration program
    Yes, let's by all means resurrect the 2750s on this board for the umpteenth time. :rolleyes: 2750s need same number of drivers,
    signalmen and other labour inputs as a 6 car 22K. If IE had confidence in them running alone they would have sent them to Ballina rather than constructing "fake 22Ks" by slapping them onto a 2 car 2700 set with a new paint scheme.

    The way to have won custom in Rosslare was to rehab the alignment sufficient to put a serious dent in block times and operating restrictions between Waterford and Rosslare - say to WRC standard (mini CTC, LC automation, 60mph line speed with restrictions at Barrow Bridge etc). But nobody in government - including Wexford TDs - wanted to spend the money so instead a bunch of cash was dropped on partial relaying without block time reductions in order to push the numbers over the edge.


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    #91
    Jamie2k9
    Registered Users Posts: 10,667 ✭✭✭✭Jamie2k9


    purplepanda wrote: »
    Taxpayers are already subsidizing most & bus services, and rail services with few passengers like the WRC.

    SailRail is subsidized by, I assume both the Irish & British transport departments. Just compare a ticket price London to Holyhead with one from London to Dublin & back. Or any Irish rail zones to London or other British destinations.

    Attracting more visitors & tourists to Ireland is vitally important in the current recession, if government subsidy is required to run relevant transport links to enable journeys, then it is a price worth paying.

    More visitors & tourists means increased tax revenue, employment & other benefits.

    Just because CIE is subsized doesn't mean that every other operator must be. Private bus operators are not such as Go Bus or Aircoach. If the route was viable then somebody would of stepped in. It was losing 1.5 million per year which I estimate that the amount would be close to or even over 90% of operating costs. Taxpayers paying up t0 90% of funds to operate a railway line what serves a small population when it could be better invested.

    As dowlingm said this line along with many didn't get investment and a very large amount of responsibility sits with local TD's across the island who did SFA when there was money on demand available. People didn't even demand better services either so its you people and TD's who are to blame for the line closure and poor service offered on most of IE's network.

    TD's an groups got what they asked for in the west ie- the WRC, why didn't anybody ask for better transport. This doesn't sit with IE but us and TD's who did nothing.

    It will be 2016 before rail gets a single penny for investment so now is the time for people to lobby their TD's.


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