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Western Rail Corridor
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Ismael Whale – to respond:
“You are comparing a proposed (if we ever see it) spend of 3.4 billion in Dublin with a proposed 300 million spend on the WRC. Now you’re saying we can’t make cross project comparisons. Can I suggest to you that we have to attempt some objective way of assessing if project A makes sense and project B does not, and the only reasonable way of doing this is to compare the costs and benefits associated with alternative courses of action.”
That’s fine so long as you use appropriate measures. I am suggesting that your measures are skewed and that the projects are too dissimilar, especially in the short term, for this analysis to be relied upon.
”Westontrack have no problem about the comparability of Luas.”
On a capital expenditure basis. It is perfectly reasonable to expect some proportion of national capital expenditure to be distributed throughout the country.
”My main point about Limerick-Ennis is about the extent to which it is deemed a thundering success without any actual scrutiny of the key facts of how much its costing.”
Fair enough but history tells us that IE have tended to run down lines not to reopen them. It doesn’t make intuitive sense for IE to do it unless they feel it is a worthwhile long term investment.
“I have to do this comparison on the basis of bums on seats vs capital cost because that’s all we know about it. (Similarly, a bit of disclosure about the costs and benefits relating to the Limerick Waterford service would also be enlightening).”
You can do the analysis, but I have to point out that the limitations of this analysis makes it next to worthless.
”The expenditure on Limerick-Ennis is a multiple of that on Luas. That suggests that expenditure on Dublin’s services produce a massively higher return – and therefore on the face of it justify considerable resources. Yet the message that gets projected in news coverage is Luas very expensive, Limerick-Ennis great success.”
Expenditure on the Luas was actually a multiple of that of Limerick-Ennis. Unless you mean on some bums/capital basis, which as I have said above is dubious.
”Its all very well to talk about Limerick commuters eventually becoming converts to rail. Its just that the Eastern region has an immediate need for transport. We simply can’t afford to have empty rail cars rolling up and down the West..”
To say they would be empty would be hyperbolic. In the medium term, these could be important development corridors on the Cork to Tuam line with commuter and intercity possibilities.
“And a service which offers no apparent advantage over road is hardly attractive”
Logically. But a service which offers apparent advantage over road is attractive.
”This is pure fantasy. There is a practical limit to the resources that will be allocated to transport. But, to be honest, the WRC brings so few benefits that if 300 million was available it would be better spent on education or some other useful activity even if there was no alternative transport related project.”
Naturally, there is a practical limit but it's not fixed and rail transport has hardly achieved its potential funding over the years. If over several years there is 3.4bn for one rail project, there is likely to be €300 for another. As for the education bit, add health to that and you could be vox pop on liveline. The WRC does have benefits.
”I note your are not trying to contradict that the WRC offers no real benefit over road.”
“As I understand it the cost figures you are citing relate to linking up Sligo to Ennis.”
I think if you read my posts, I am talking about Ennis to Galway and possibly to Tuam (as per P11 plan). However, the presence of villages along the line does not change the fact that Cork, Limerick, Ennis and Galway are on the line. For the record, I do believe that rail Cork to Galway and perhaps Tuam does offer advantages over road.
”To be honest, its usually a bit more one-sided than this. Typically the West blames Dublin, despite doing very nicely out of state funding, and Dublin muddles through with inadequate infrastructure.”
Although, it seems here as if you are blaming the rest of the country…………………
”We can do both. You see, there’s no conflict between simultaneously advocating that money be spent on sensible things and not spent on silly things.”
Seems a waste of time and scarce resources
to do both and, of course, your opinion of “silly things” may not be “silly” at all. Personally, I support investment in rail both within the pale and without.
”Well, if they’re taking the Limerick-Ennis figures as encouraging I think we can take it that good econo”
Well, the irrefutable answer to this point is that Limeri0 -
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This discussion has been closed.
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