Park and Ride could spark a bus war!

Mrs OBumble

Well according to the Galway Indo anyway ...

Ref: http://galwayindependent.com/stories/item/5983/2013-7/Airport-Park-and-Ride-could-spark-bus-war

The green light for a pilot Park and Ride Scheme at Galway Airport could spark a bus war in the city ....

It was confirmed earlier this week that the Department of Transport has allocated funding of €100,000 for the development of the Carnmore airport, with emphasis on putting a pilot Park and Ride system in place as a key source of continuing revenue.

....
[SNIP! -- please don't quote more that the first paragraph or two of an article]

”.

Interesting scenario. There is government funding involved, so the service should be open for competitive bids, surely. But if one operator has license already, then I'd understood that another company cannot get one.

That said, personally I hope Farrells succeed. They've shown a lot of cop-on with new services, and can probably make a go on an east-of-the-city P&R if anyone can.

Cookie_Monster

If the govt are investing that much it should just go to BE, no point spending all that money just to hand over the potentially profitable route to a private operator.

Chris_5339762

I think a private operator would make a much better go of it than BE would though.

lockon...

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

If the govt are investing that much it should just go to BE, no point spending all that money just to hand over the potentially profitable route to a private operator.

Wow, you do know communism collapsed

Cookie_Monster

lockon... wrote: »

Wow, you do know communism collapsed

:rolleyes:
no ****.

PT is not about making money though, it's about moving the most people in the most efficient manner. Private companies spot hiring routes like this doesn't really benefit everyone as a whole and while BE are far from perfect they are the major player in Galway and should have control of the route. Go right ahead and privatise BE if you like but I just don't see how having lots of small PT operators is an efficient use of money and resources over one operator for an area or region.

devnull

Much of the improvements which have happened in public transport over the years have been due to private operators coming in and forcing the public companies to up their games.

Competitive tendering also has been shown to drive up standards, as lets face it, if you know you are going to get a contract anyway, then you don't need to offer such a good product upfront as there is no need to.

Also some companies may be able to do the contract cheaper than BE, which would be a better outcome for the taxpayer as a whole. Monopolies are bad in any industry.

LXFlyer

It may well be (and probably is) that Bus Eireann do not have either the staff or vehicles available to operate this.

I don't see why a good reliable (and affordable) service such as this cannot be delivered by a private operator?

n97 mini

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

PT is not about making money though, it's about moving the most people in the most efficient manner.

Do you think BE can do it more efficiently than a private operator?

Mrs OBumble

devnull wrote: »

Much of the improvements which have happened in public transport over the years have been due to private operators coming in and forcing the public companies to up their games.

In Galway, virtually all the improvements that I can think of have been due to the plethora of private operators.

The particular one who has got the license for this route has drastically improved the Galway / Athenry bus service in the last few years. They've just started a service that goes via a couple of the big industrial estates for workers. And they run the only night-bus in the county. Frankly, I cannot think of a company more likely to make the P&R succeed.

BÉ, on the other hand, had the licence to provide a service between the city and the airport when it was open for scheduled services. The service they provided was barely advertised, and ran at times which were totally disconnected to the flight times. Arguably they were part of the reason for the airport not being viable - it cost almost as much to get from Eyre Square to Galway Airport by taxi as it did to get from the Coach Station to Dublin airport!

what_traffic

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

BÉ, on the other hand, had the licence to provide a service between the city and the airport when it was open for scheduled services. The service they provided was barely advertised, and ran at times which were totally disconnected to the flight times. Arguably they were part of the reason for the airport not being viable - it cost almost as much to get from Eyre Square to Galway Airport by taxi as it did to get from the Coach Station to Dublin airport!

That's true - if you where time rich it was cheaper to get to and from Dublin Airport than to Galway Airport from Eyre Sq. Plus Dublin had far more services per day.

Mrs OBumble

Just to add to this - and for your entertainment: BÉ are finally cancelling their daily service to/from Galway Airport - a full 16 months after scheduled flights ended!


Ref: http://www.buseireann.ie/news_timetable.php?id=1250&month=Feb

what_traffic

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Just to add to this - and for your entertainment: BÉ are finally cancelling their daily service to/from Galway Airport - a full 16 months after scheduled flights ended!


Ref: http://www.buseireann.ie/news_timetable.php?id=1250&month=Feb

Is this a paper/administrative/public notice exercise or where they actually running this service for the past 16 months? Work in Parkmore (at irregular times) and I cannot recall seeing this Bus No on the way to or from work?

Mrs OBumble

what_traffic wrote: »

Is this a paper/administrative/public notice exercise or where they actually running this service for the past 16 months? Work in Parkmore (at irregular times) and I cannot recall seeing this Bus No on the way to or from work?

I suspect they've actually been running it.

Only one bus each way per day, which would explain why you've never seen it.

The dedicated factory buses to Medtronic (which mostly ran empty, AFAIK) are also being cancelled.

LXFlyer

It would appear that some common sense is being applied here, with the Tuam and Athenry commuter services being left to the private operators now plying those routes.

what_traffic

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

I suspect they've actually been running it.

Only one bus each way per day, which would explain why you've never seen it.

The dedicated factory buses to Medtronic (which mostly ran empty, AFAIK) are also being cancelled.

Saw that notice in the Advertiser last night. It's a pity the 409/403 don't actually have STOPS/Terminus in the Industrial Estates in Parkmore. Same goes for the 405 for Ballybrit. If had stop outside Medtronic/HP would make BUS far more attractive to get to and from these major employers in the City

Cookie_Monster

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

I suspect they've actually been running it.

Only one bus each way per day, which would explain why you've never seen it.

The dedicated factory buses to Medtronic (which mostly ran empty, AFAIK) are also being cancelled.

and you reckon BE were doing it for the laugh rather than being compelled to by the NTA?

Sponge Bob

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

and you reckon BE were doing it for the laugh rather than being compelled to by the NTA?

I reckon they were doing it for the laugh, yes!

n97 mini

The NTA would hardly force a bus operator to run a service to a disused airport? I would have thought it had more to do with unions/work practices/rosters and all that.