Irish Rail - Risk of Strike Action

end of the road

Peppa Pig wrote: »

Nonsense

Link with quotes

that was over a general CIE issue. irish rail and dublin bus would have had their own issues, meaning they would have gone out on strike for those issues, and not because of bus eireann. the quote about those staff being upset at the treatment of their fellow staff in bus eireann was a general comment.

Peppa Pig

end of the road wrote: »

the quote about those staff being upset at the treatment of their fellow staff in bus eireann was a general comment.

A general comment - it was the reason that the NBRU gave for DB and IR wanting to join in the fun.
While they may not have actually went out, it is a thinly veiled threat to give the BE drivers what they want, using staff who have nothing to do with the dispute, meaning a BE dispute spread to IR and DB.

devnull

The PSO will be increased in 2016.

The UK system is not perfect but some things are better than in Ireland even if some things are not.

end of the road

Peppa Pig wrote: »

A general comment - it was the reason that the NBRU gave for DB and IR wanting to join in the fun.
While they may not have actually went out, it is a thinly veiled threat to give the BE drivers what they want, using staff who have nothing to do with the dispute, meaning a BE dispute spread to IR and DB.

but it wouldn't have been the reason they would have joined if they did so it doesn't matter, its still a general comment

Peppa Pig

end of the road wrote: »

but it wouldn't have been the reason they would have joined if they did so it doesn't matter, its still a general comment

So what would have been these reasons that the union were keeping quiet about?
Link it as well ......

end of the road

devnull wrote: »

The PSO will be increased in 2016.

The UK system is not perfect but some things are better than in Ireland even if some things are not.

the government investment is the only advantage of the UK system TBH. and it took rail track to get to that stage where the government realized they had to put up the cash.

devnull

Provision of passenger information on train and at stations is vastly superior in the UK.

Irish Rail are terrible in that respect with vast numbers of the fleet with non working displays and the on platform screens displaying the minimum of information.

alcaline

devnull wrote: »

The UK system is not perfect but some things are better than in Ireland even if some things are not.

Can you give details on the things that are not?

end of the road

devnull wrote: »

Provision of passenger information on train and at stations is vastly superior in the UK.

thats actually debatible in fairness. okay the intercity routes might be fine but certain companies have issues with providing clear concise information in the uk as well. that doesn't give irish rail an excuse not to improve their information though

alcaline wrote: »

Can you give details on the things that are not?

have a look through some uk rail forums for a start

devnull

Micro management of rolling stock by the Department for Transport who prevent the operators from ordering new trains or trains of sufficient length, who then turn around and blame the operators when the predictable overcrowding occurs which is out of their control.

The fact that the DFT also take control over the larger stock orders which they are woefully slow at delivering. For example, Thameslink Rolling stock procurement. Tender advertised in 2008. Awarded in 2011, Contract signed in 2013. Originally the whole fleet was supposed to be in service by 2015 and we're now looking at 2019.

The fact that for a large part investment is centred around London and the South East and the fact the North of England tends to get a rawer deal when it comes to rolling stock, look at the amount of pacers in the North for instance.

The likes of The Trainline charging fees to book tickets rather than the real cost of tickets. I'm firmly believing that only TOC's should be able to sell tickets, because these third party companies can't sell the tickets any cheaper than anyone else but add on fees.

devnull

end of the road wrote: »

Thats actually debatible in fairness. okay the intercity routes might be fine but certain companies have issues with providing clear concise information in the uk as well. that doesn't give irish rail an excuse not to improve their information though.

Irish Rail is by far worse, all of their information screens need ripping out and replacing with something that can provide many more details. Go to a major station in London or any major UK city and the level of information on platform and on screens is far superior especially for someone who does not know the city. The only screens fit for purpose in Connolly are the ones over the gates and even then I think it would benefit from a couple more to show more trains.

Much of the information displayed at Irish Rail stations requires you to already know the network pretty well. Fine for commuters like me and you but for someone new to the area it can be confusing. There's a need for full LED screens with more information on platforms like used at UK stations.

For a start a big improvement at platform 6 and 7 at Connolly would be the replacement of the two landscape screens with three portrait ones, the ones on either side showing the next train at that platform and all stopping stations, and the one in the middle showing the next trains at all platforms in the stations.

The blue screens could be kept even if ideally replaced by LED, but having a line underneath saying "Non Stop to Maynooth" for example to distinguish the stopping and non stopping services would be useful. All of this is provided for in the UK where in Irish rail we have the minimum information possible.

Many operators operate 24/7 Customer service and real time information in the UK. There's even a section about stations with out of order ticket vending machines being broken which I know will please someone on here!

For example:
https://www.journeycheck.com/greatwesternrailway/

I'm not saying the UK is perfect in regards to information and of course there are situations where they get it wrong, I'm not disputing that, it happens on any railway system, but overall I've found in the big cities everything works better than in Dublin and you would never see 50% of commuter trains going around in the peak with non working, turned off or broken onboard PIS systems that happens on the DART every day.

CantGetNoSleep

I plan to take a train on Friday evening (23rd) from Heuston to Waterford. Anyone know what the chances are of any backlog caused by the morning strike being cleared by then, or will I still experience problems?

Jamie2k9

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

I plan to take a train on Friday evening (23rd) from Heuston to Waterford. Anyone know what the chances are of any backlog caused by the morning strike being cleared by then, or will I still experience problems?

Yes strike stops at 9 am, some stock positioning will take place over next 3-4 hours and normal service resumed.

CantGetNoSleep

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Yes strike stops at 9 am, some stock positioning will take place over next 3-4 hours and normal service resumed.

Ok great thank you

end of the road

devnull wrote: »

Micro management of rolling stock by the Department for Transport who prevent the operators from ordering new trains or trains of sufficient length, who then turn around and blame the operators when the predictable overcrowding occurs which is out of their control.

The fact that the DFT also take control over the larger stock orders which they are woefully slow at delivering. For example, Thameslink Rolling stock procurement. Tender advertised in 2008. Awarded in 2011, Contract signed in 2013. Originally the whole fleet was supposed to be in service by 2015 and we're now looking at 2019.

The fact that for a large part investment is centred around London and the South East and the fact the North of England tends to get a rawer deal when it comes to rolling stock, look at the amount of pacers in the North for instance.

yeah but i can't see any of that changing much if the DFT were hands off. while i'm no fan of them i can see why they would want control due to how the early years of privatization turned out (okay that probably isn't why they want control admittidly)

Hollister11

Are the buses going to strike as well or just the trains ? I usually get the dart to college and can't miss Friday.

Wild Garlic

Hollister11 wrote: »

Are the buses going to strike as well or just the trains ? I usually get the dart to college and can't miss Friday.

Just trains. If strike goes ahead buses will be very busy so factor that into your travel plans.

Hollister11

Wild Garlic wrote: »

Just trains. If strike goes ahead buses will be very busy so factor that into your travel plans.

I don't have to get a bus until about 9:45 and I get on near the start of the route so hopefully it will be ok.

LXFlyer

http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/News-Centre/General-News/Industrial-Action-at-Iarnrod-Eireann/

Potential Industrial Action at Iarnród Éireann

Published on Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Dublin Bus services will operate as normal on Friday, 23rd October. Our full fleet will be deployed during the morning peak time but services are expected to be busier than normal. We advise customers to leave additional time for their journey on Friday morning. Dublin Bus is not in a position to honour Irish Rail tickets on our services during this period of industrial action.

mike2084

The 11pm news on RTÉ News Now just now says some progress has been made but nowhere near a breakthrough.

murpho999

Has there been any update on today's resumed talks?

Infini

murpho999 wrote: »

Has there been any update on today's resumed talks?

Its going ahead. Blame Franks for it tbh its even stated on media reports that sources have said that the company negotiation team doesnt have a full mandate to negotiate and keeps having to go back to "management" for any issues. Makes a mockery of the whole thing if thats the case since it leads to nothing but increased tensions. He may as well not bother sending them in at all or be in the room himself since he seems to block any progress that they might get somewhere on.

suicide_circus

Fair play to all concerned. Gonna be fun getting into work tomorrow.

Hollister11

suicide_circus wrote: »

Fair play to all concerned. Gonna be fun getting into work tomorrow.

It's going to a pain in the arse. Instead of being on a dart for 15minutes I'll be on a bus for 50 minutes.


I also can't wait for the fare increases to pay for the drivers increased wages.

Atlantic Dawn

http://www.irishrail.ie/news/threatenedindustrialaction

DART services will resume with the following services:

09:40 Bray Malahide
10:00 Greystones Howth
09:45 Howth Bray
10:30 Malahide Greystones

end of the road

Hollister11 wrote: »

It's going to a pain in the arse. Instead of being on a dart for 15minutes I'll be on a bus for 50 minutes.


I also can't wait for the fare increases to pay for the drivers increased wages.

its likely fare increases would be happening anyway i'm afraid.

Thargor

Sh1t I need to get to Booterstown from Bray for a 09:15 appointment, what time do you think I should be getting on a 145 bus in Bray? Never used it in peak times...

Hollister11

Strike going ahead, drivers have lost an opportunity for an 8% wage increase. Any future deal will be worse as tomorrows losses need to be recouped.

n97 mini

Hollister11 wrote: »

Strike going ahead, drivers have lost an opportunity for an 8% wage increase. Any future deal will be worse as tomorrows losses need to be recouped.

This is the surreal situation that exists when those on both "sides" of the negotiating table are essentially on the same side, aka both paid by the tax payer. There's a bit of a set dance that we have to go through to make it look like genuine industrial relations before those on strike get pretty much what they're after.

Hollister11

Dublin Bus are definitely running ?