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Destructix 26-03-2013 20:53

Tipperary on track for Irish Rail fares offer
 
From Tipperary Star

Quote:

RISH Rail is to target householders along the Ballybrophy line with special offers to entice more people to use the local train service. The offer was revealed at this Monday’s Nenagh Town Council meeting by Cllr Virginia O’Dowd, a member of the Nenagh Rail Partnership that has been pushing for more promotion on the line for almost a decade

“The marketing executive, Paul O’Kelly, and a member of his staff, Cathal Lyons, have been travelling to Nenagh and Cloughjordan to discuss how to promote the line, and the fact that they were willing to come here instead of us having to go to Dublin shows they are serious in trying to attract new business on the service,” she told councillors.

Up to 6,000 homes along the line can expect to receive a letter in the post over the coming week giving a 50 per cent reduction on family fares to Dublin.

This means a fare of E33 for two adults and up to four children. The letter will also highlight the offer of E6 return fares to Limerick, with a E3 fare for children.

“This is about getting bums on seats and I appeal to people not to just bin the letters,” said Cllr O’Dowd, who hoped householders wouldn’t confuse the offers with their Property Tax demands.

She acknowledged that commuter traffic alone was not going to keep the line open, and, pointing to the success of the trains to Croke Park in the past two years, appealed to groups and organisations to either talk to Nenagh Rail Partnership or Irish Rail about special offers.

“For instance, it might have been possible to organise a special train to the Ireland- Austria match if around 200 people were interested in travelling. But the regular service can also be used for special occasions,” she said.

Mayor Lalor McGee pointed out that Nenagh railway station was celebrating its 150th anniversary this October and Cllr O’Dowd urged the council help NRP with its plan to restore one of the old water pumps at the station in time for the celebrations. Irish Rail’s heritage officer had urged them to seek Lottery funding for the project.

Cllr Seamus Morris described the offer as a “super deal. Iarnrod Eireann has bought into it and it should be supported.” Cllr Conor Delaney warned people to “use it or lose it,” saying: “You won’t know what you have until it is gone.”

Jamie2k9 26-03-2013 21:06

Its a excellent marketing by IE as they know people won't use it and cutting fares by 50% will mean losses grow and it can be closed. The sooner the better. People have had loads of opportunities to use the service and just don't bother.

One wonders would Rosslare-Waterford still be here if we got these type of promotions.

Destructix 27-03-2013 17:22

Exactly. A few weeks ago in the Nenagh Guardian the NRP claimed that they never asked for the 5:05 Limerick/Nenagh-Dublin service. It was Iarnród Éireanns idea to introduce this service and by doing so they axed the morning commuter service which was the busiest service on the line. Now that the Dublin service is gone and they have reverted to the 2011 timetable those few loyal customers they had in 2011 have now found faster alternatives and they will never get these passengers back.

ACustomer 27-03-2013 20:59

Destructix: it wasn't so much Irish Rail's idea to change the timetable: it was Alan Kelly's and as usual a semi-state had to jump to the wishes of politicians, not matter how daft.

dowlingm 28-03-2013 05:55

the problem the NRP has is that they made nicey nicey with IE's PR when the wind was blowing their way. Hard then to do a 180 when they get screwed. Of course they didn't want an 0505 but when you're not a significant financial contributor to a project you don't get to have much say in it.

Inniskeen 28-03-2013 07:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Destructix (Post 71126)
Exactly. A few weeks ago in the Nenagh Guardian the NRP claimed that they never asked for the 5:05 Limerick/Nenagh-Dublin service. It was Iarnród Éireanns idea to introduce this service and by doing so they axed the morning commuter service which was the busiest service on the line. Now that the Dublin service is gone and they have reverted to the 2011 timetable those few loyal customers they had in 2011 have now found faster alternatives and they will never get these passengers back.

What morning commuter service was axed ?

If you are talking about the evening commuter service, I think you are not accurately reflecting the actual situation since as persistently reported on this website, that service often turned back at Birdhill if there was no business offering beyond that point.

An 0505 service was never going to be a success as it simply didn't align with the market and was so slow, including being miserably slow between Ballybrophy and Heuston.

Thomas J Stamp 28-03-2013 12:10

morning service from nenagh to limerick wasnt axed as far as i remember.

it was the balls up of the evening limerick-nenagh-ballybrophy which killed things in that regard.

the events of the time are accuratly detailed as they happened on this messageboard.

The idea of a train to the aviva the other night is pie in the sky stuff. I contacted IE when they had special trains for the Germany match to Cork and Limierick and they werent stopping in Tipp full stop - not even on the mainline.

Compairing Tipp in an All Ireland Final to a Soccer match is not realistic. Even last year in the All-Ireland Semi there was no thought given, nor needed of a special on the branch. I assume there was one on the mainline. Given the history of Tipp supporters travel movements to CP it was justified.

Traincustomer 28-03-2013 14:52

Evening commuter train from Limerick:
 
If the 16.55 Limerick - Nenagh - Ballybrophy was deferred to, for instance, 17.50 arriving into Ballybrophy at 19.46:

* no apparent pathing issue with a 17.50 departure ex Colbert.
* 17.20 Cork to Dublin would not necessarily need to serve Ballybrophy.
* 18.20 Cork to Dublin could instead call at Ballybrophy (circa 20.00).
* Connection to branch would be available from 19.00 Heuston - Cork (arr. Ballybrophy 19.59).
* Branch train could depart at 20.03 (with allowance to wait if needs be).

Don't know whether this would affect gatekeepers' shifts or if there are other issues/ constraints.

Plus-side is a timing from Limerick likely to suit the vast majority - slight downside passengers coming from Dublin finished business at 5/5.30 may have a slightly longer wait in Dublin than is ideal.

dowlingm 30-03-2013 12:00

For me the possible winner was to have based the service in Roscrea with a based train and crew, from which there is no scheduled bus competition, rather than Nenagh from which JJK and BE compete with IE at approximately the same time. However, like Limerick Junction-Waterford, the overriding consideration of serving Dublin skews the timetable away from local service advantage since the Nenagh departure is determined by when the northbound service to Dublin reaches there.

BE Birdhill 0725 Augustinian Church 0810 (Castleconnell, Annacotty)
JJK Nenagh 0730 Albert Quay 0830 (Birdhill, UL)
IE Nenagh 0745 Colbert 0845 (Birdhill, Castleconnell)
BE Nenagh 0745 Henry St 0835 (Birdhill)

That area's transport service is locked into a timetable which is aimed at each companies own priorities rather than one which creates the best mix of fast and connecting service.

Destructix 01-04-2013 16:51

Tipperary Star

Tipp Rail Group To Launch Website

Quote:

WHEN it comes to attracting visitors from Dublin, the towns along the North Tipperary railway line have a rare competitive edge: the train service linking them with the capital, according to Nenagh Rail Partnership, which promotes the line in conjunction with Irish Rail.

However, very few local businesses do currently exploit it. The business community could get great benefit from the extra trade these visitors would bring, simply by joining forces to offer packages to attract them.

Nenagh Rail Partnership is developing a website to promote visits to Roscrea, Cloughjordan, Nenagh, Birdill and Castleconnell. It will have a page for each community served, with links to other local websites.

Each community page will suggest itineraries for a visit and will promote businesses within walking distance of the station.

The bait on the hook will be attractive discounts for visitors in possession of a current train ticket. Potential visitors could save the whole cost of their journey by choosing to travel by train, simply by giving their custom to local businesses.

As a result, the communities served could become uniquely attractive destinations.

The potential for repeat business should not be overlooked: Dubliners who have enjoyed their time here could become regular visitors.

The target markets would include walkers and others looking for an active day out, city-dwellers who do not own cars and overseas tourists who might be wary of driving “on the wrong side of the road” in an unfamiliar hire car. Visitors would arrive from Dublin mid-morning and would leave in the evening, which would give them around seven hours of spending opportunities. The potential for extra custom is substantial – and at little cost to business owners.

The website will be launched as soon as we have enough businesses signed up in just one of the towns or villages along the line.

Other communities will be added shortly after, once we have the critical mass of offers needed to make a viable visitor package.

Community bodies and business owners keen to take advantage of this initiative should email Duncan Martin, PRO of Nenagh Rail Partnership,
It isn't a bad idea but I think the businesses that do sign up to it would have to offer very big discounts to attract people to come to Nenagh and Roscrea. Iarnród Éireann did something similar to this a few years ago and it was nationwide in most towns and cities and it wasn't very successful.

Jamie2k9 02-04-2013 00:57

Quote:

WHEN it comes to attracting visitors from Dublin, the towns along the North Tipperary railway line have a rare competitive edge: the train service linking them with the capital, according to Nenagh Rail Partnership,
What a ridiculous statement, NRP need a reality check last time I checked Killarney and Galway to name a few have a connection to the capital, what is so special about this line links to Dublin. I can just see trains bursting with visitors from Dublin. Just how long more will I read stories that go from fanticity to even more unbelievable. I can wait to see there next plans for the line.

Eddie 02-04-2013 08:27

Isn't it about how you interpret the statement?

I think the statement itself is perfectly reasonable. The North Tipperary towns on the line have a competitive advantage over the North Tipperary towns that are not on the line.

However, clearly a 2 train a day service does not have a competitive edge over any line that has 4, 5, 6 or more services a day.

Mark Gleeson 02-04-2013 08:56

Its not a direct service

Name me one major Tipperary town which does not have a train station, only one I can think of is Cashel

finnyus 02-04-2013 09:01

...add to that:

Who even knows that a connection is possible at Ballybrophy for a railway line to Limerick via Nenagh? I've been on both an ICR and MK4 set, both heading to Dublin and heading to Cork that stopped at Ballybrophy. Both services were the trains that connect with Limerick (via Nenagh) bound services.

The automated announcement on mainline trains just informed passengers the next station was Ballybrophy. Not one mention of "change here for Roscrea, Cloughjordan, ....". The same could be said for Limerick Junction: I've never heard any announcement for "change here for Tipperary, Cahir, Clonmel...". Likewise, apparently no station exists north of Ennis on the automated announcements.

I would imagine to the majority of mainline users, Ballybrophy is just another standard stop on the Cork mainline.

Jamie2k9 02-04-2013 13:29

Quote:

The same could be said for Limerick Junction: I've never heard any announcement for "change here for Tipperary, Cahir, Clonmel...". Likewise, apparently no station exists north of Ennis on the automated announcements.
In Heuston they announce the connection and one of the hosts on the Cork line announces it to when they are on that service.

Quote:

I think the statement itself is perfectly reasonable. The North Tipperary towns on the line have a competitive advantage over the North Tipperary towns that are not on the line.

However, clearly a 2 train a day service does not have a competitive edge over any line that has 4, 5, 6 or more services a day.
Can you post a list of reasons why visitors would want to visit these towns other than driving through. They are not exactly know for tourism.

Thomas J Stamp 03-04-2013 11:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie2k9 (Post 71166)
In Heuston they announce the connection and one of the hosts on the Cork line announces it to when they are on that service.



Can you post a list of reasons why visitors would want to visit these towns other than driving through. They are not exactly know for tourism.

Roscrea and Nenagh are heritage towns, Roscrea has the castle and grounds right in the centre of the town, and we have several abbeys and other sites of historical significance dotted about. It really is an under promoted place, but i have seen many coach tours from the uk and europe truck into town during the summer.

I cant fault the NRP for doing this website, I hope it is a success, and anything that keeps the branch open is also a good thing.

Jamie2k9 03-04-2013 12:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomas J Stamp (Post 71169)
Roscrea and Nenagh are heritage towns, Roscrea has the castle and grounds right in the centre of the town, and we have several abbeys and other sites of historical significance dotted about. It really is an under promoted place, but i have seen many coach tours from the uk and europe truck into town during the summer.

I cant fault the NRP for doing this website, I hope it is a success, and anything that keeps the branch open is also a good thing.

I hope it works but I can't see many if any passengers being generated. Its the locals that need to use it if they want it open.

James Howard 03-04-2013 12:44

There simply isn't enough service on the Nenagh Line to make it viable. Not ever having experienced the charms of Roscrea castle, I may not be qualified to make sweeping judgements on it, but it might be difficult to pass the 8 hours and 3 minutes between the morning train and its return service.

Similarly, there is no realistic commuter service in either direction on the line nor is there a train that gets you to Dublin in time for a morning hospital appointment which are usually block booked at 9:30. So that rules out most of the other opportunities for generating traffic, leaving the line with the weekend student traffic and the odd shopping trip that of necessity lasts all day.

When Irish Rail upped the service frequency to 2 hourly on the Sligo line (and effectively hourly to Longford between 15:00 and 19:00), I thought they were mad as the services before then were hardly jammed. But it made a massive difference. They have a structured fare system where the day returns get progressive cheaper after the commuter trains in the morning and you can just turn up in Connolly to go home after you are done shopping. The result is that most of the afternoon trains are very busy and while the line may not be paying for itself in raw financial terms, it is generating valuable economic and social activity for the country. This kind of jump in frequency is the only way that the Nenagh Line is ever going to be a success and you can't blame the local population for not responding to a half-assed commuter service that seemed designed to prove that extra services don't work.

The common feature between both lines is that the only meaningful traffic originating in Dublin is the weekend student visits home. They have tried and failed with early-morning down services and matching evening returns from Sligo.

Jamie2k9 03-04-2013 14:57

The majority of people who have hospital appointments in Dublin don't pay a penny to travel there so rule that reason out.

Thomas J Stamp 04-04-2013 09:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Howard (Post 71171)
There simply isn't enough service on the Nenagh Line to make it viable. Not ever having experienced the charms of Roscrea castle, I may not be qualified to make sweeping judgements on it, but it might be difficult to pass the 8 hours and 3 minutes between the morning train and its return service.

Similarly, there is no realistic commuter service in either direction on the line nor is there a train that gets you to Dublin in time for a morning hospital appointment which are usually block booked at 9:30. So that rules out most of the other opportunities for generating traffic, leaving the line with the weekend student traffic and the odd shopping trip that of necessity lasts all day.

When Irish Rail upped the service frequency to 2 hourly on the Sligo line (and effectively hourly to Longford between 15:00 and 19:00), I thought they were mad as the services before then were hardly jammed. But it made a massive difference. They have a structured fare system where the day returns get progressive cheaper after the commuter trains in the morning and you can just turn up in Connolly to go home after you are done shopping. The result is that most of the afternoon trains are very busy and while the line may not be paying for itself in raw financial terms, it is generating valuable economic and social activity for the country. This kind of jump in frequency is the only way that the Nenagh Line is ever going to be a success and you can't blame the local population for not responding to a half-assed commuter service that seemed designed to prove that extra services don't work.

The common feature between both lines is that the only meaningful traffic originating in Dublin is the weekend student visits home. They have tried and failed with early-morning down services and matching evening returns from Sligo.

we have long argued that what the branch needs is a regular little two carriage service running up and down all day. We even, long ago, produced a draft timetable, the important starting point being towards Limerick. This would suit this tourist idea down to the ground so you could get off at BB, hop to Roscrea then Nenagh and finally Limerick where you could stay.

However, and this is the important bit - IE are very happy to use the likes of the NRG and ourselves to provide input/publicity/awareness but nothing whatsoever will get them to change the timetable as it suits managment and unions down to a tee. The passenger, as usual, is not actually relevent.

Jamie2k9 04-04-2013 18:11

http://www.irishrail.ie/cat_news.jsp?i=4793&p=116&n=237

Quote:

€6 Nenagh to Limerick Super Saver Saturdays


04 April 2013

Iarnród Éireann is delighted to announce the introduction of a special €6 return super saver fare on Saturdays between Nenagh and all stations to Limerick from now until September. Get into Limerick City for just €6 return for adults and €3 return for children.

Limerick city is a hive of activity on Saturdays with the award winning Milk market in full swing and lots of other attractions to take in such as the Limerick City Art Gallery, the Hunt museum and the People’s park as well as the vibrant city shopping district.

Leave the car at home, forget about costly parking charges and take advantage of the free WiFi onboard to surf the net whilst you travel in comfort.

comcor 05-04-2013 10:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Howard (Post 71171)
When Irish Rail upped the service frequency to 2 hourly on the Sligo line (and effectively hourly to Longford between 15:00 and 19:00), I thought they were mad as the services before then were hardly jammed. But it made a massive difference.

The same happened with the Cork-Cobh line, which saw a massive surge in numbers after they moved to a regular commuter service.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomas J Stamp (Post 71174)
we have long argued that what the branch needs is a regular little two carriage service running up and down all day. We even, long ago, produced a draft timetable, the important starting point being towards Limerick.

Which again is analagous to Cork-Cobh (the line that realistically most resembles the Nenagh branch.

It's never really going to be a huge amount of use for people travelling to Dublin, but can provide a viable local commuting option.

I'm not sure the Roscrea-Ballybrophy section even needs services, but it's a short enough distance that Ballybrophy may as well be the terminus.

Once you have the regular service, you can then look at other supporting features like a P&R station near Lisnagry or Annacotty Business Park or longer term planning by allowing increased housing density near Castleconnell and Birdhill stations (we won't stay in a recession forever), but when people just expect the line to close, who will make those plans.

Destructix 05-04-2013 19:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomas J Stamp (Post 71174)
we have long argued that what the branch needs is a regular little two carriage service running up and down all day

That what is needed on the Waterford-Limerick line. Not a hope of IÉ doing it on either line.

Very few if any visitors come to North Tipperary for tourism by rail even on the mainline. If tourism can magically save falling passenger numbers on the Nenagh line then why doesn't Iarnród Éireann open a train station in Holycross which gets over 250,000 visitors per year the most visited attraction in North Tipperary and reopen the Gooldscross-Cashel line.

I think the NRP should focus on Limerick. Forget about Dublin and tourism heritage railways and just ask for a better commuter service between Roscrea and Limerick. You can't compete with Bus Éireann/Kavanaghs and the motorway when it comes to Dublin. Mothball it north of Roscrea and that will save a couple of grand each year in maintenance costs to use on other parts south of Roscrea-Limerick to improve journey times then the service could compete with the motorway and bus services.

Eddie 05-04-2013 21:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomas J Stamp (Post 71174)
IE are very happy to use the likes of the NRG and ourselves to provide input/publicity/awareness but nothing whatsoever will get them to change the timetable as it suits managment and unions down to a tee.

I presume IE are sensible enough to know that a proper timetable might save the line, whereas continuation of the current would most likely mean it would go the same way as Wexford to Waterford. How can the possibility of this alternative in any way suit management and unions?

dowlingm 06-04-2013 04:00

Cork-Cobh isn't REALLY like Limerick-Nenagh though.

1. The road from Cobh to the N25 isn't great whereas the road alternatives to Nenagh are superior end to end.
2. There's Fota
3. There's cruise ship traffic.
4. Modern signalling and double track so no issues around gatekeeper rosters and far more flexible timetabling possible.

Inniskeen 06-04-2013 08:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eddie (Post 71182)
I presume IE are sensible enough to know that a proper timetable might save the line, whereas continuation of the current would most likely mean it would go the same way as Wexford to Waterford. How can the possibility of this alternative in any way suit management and unions?

The extraordinary thing about the Limerick/Ballybrophy line (and others) is the amount of public funds which have been expended with no particular service plan or obvious objective. Contrast this with the recent renewal of Coleraine to Derry which will be followed in 2015 by the introduction of an hourly service. In the interim, on Mondays to Saturdays, pending signalling changes, there is a two hourly service from Belfast to Derry and a separate two hourly service from Belfast to Portrush giving an hourly service in each direction between Coleraine and Belfast from approximately 0600 to 2200.(There are additional Monday to Friday services giving a half hourly service towards Belfast in the morning peak and a half hourly service from Belfast in the evening peak.)

Less than ten years ago the future of this line was in serious doubt, now it is booming. While Limerick/Ballybrophy doesn't have anything like the same population base the same principles apply - provide a decent relevant service and you do business. Not much point opening a supermarket with empty shelves, same applies to a railway offering little or nothing in terms of a relevant service.

comcor 06-04-2013 13:05

I doubt cruise and Fota traffic contributes more than 5% of the traffic on the line. I'll grant you the bit about the road; I believe that by a considerable margin Cobh is the largest town not on the national road network.

Really, the line should be more like Midleton, which doesn't have the tourist traffic, is single track and has a dual-carriageway into Cork, but we don't have a baseline for numbers there.

Clearly the biggest difference is that 60,000 people are trying to get into Cork City Centre every day for work or education (there's also a substantial number who go in for shopping, business and entertainment, but these are one off trips); Limerick gets less than half that number. Then again, you could have half Cobh's 24 services a day and still have something that could make people happy.

I'm also serious about incorporating P&R. Near the junction of the old Dublin Road and the current M7 would be a great location.

Jamie2k9 06-04-2013 14:33

Quote:

we have long argued that what the branch needs is a regular little two carriage service running up and down all day. We even, long ago, produced a draft timetable, the important starting point being towards Limerick
Wasn't it the NRP that wanted a direct service to Dublin in the mornings for people in the are.

Quote:

The extraordinary thing about the Limerick/Ballybrophy line (and others) is the amount of public funds which have been expended with no particular service plan or obvious objective. Contrast this with the recent renewal of Coleraine to Derry which will be followed in 2015 by the introduction of an hourly service. In the interim, on Mondays to Saturdays, pending signalling changes, there is a two hourly service from Belfast to Derry and a separate two hourly service from Belfast to Portrush giving an hourly service in each direction between Coleraine and Belfast from approximately 0600 to 2200.(There are additional Monday to Friday services giving a half hourly service towards Belfast in the morning peak and a half hourly service from Belfast in the evening peak.)

Less than ten years ago the future of this line was in serious doubt, now it is booming. While Limerick/Ballybrophy doesn't have anything like the same population base the same principles apply - provide a decent relevant service and you do business. Not much point opening a supermarket with empty shelves, same applies to a railway offering little or nothing in terms of a relevant service.
Does the Derry line require so many gate keepers?

Inniskeen 06-04-2013 16:17

There are 44 public road level crossings between Belfast and Derry !

Almost all public road level crossings are either automated (AHBs, AHBDs), centrally controlled/monitored or controlled from an adjacent signal box. There is only one location with dedicated crossing keepers and this is a temporary arrangement which commenced about two weks ago.

Main point I was making is that if you plough tax payers money into infrastructure, you either produce some useful return or at least have plans to do so.

Colm Moore 06-04-2013 18:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by dowlingm (Post 71183)
Cork-Cobh isn't REALLY like Limerick-Nenagh though.

1. The road from Cobh to the N25 isn't great whereas the road alternatives to Nenagh are superior end to end.
2. There's Fota
3. There's cruise ship traffic.
4. Modern signalling and double track so no issues around gatekeeper rosters and far more flexible timetabling possible.

Indeed and town of 10,000+ connected to city of 180,000 which is only 20km away, with an industrial area in the middle and a branch to Carrigtwohill and Midleton. Railway is shorter and quicker than road.

Cobh is more like the north Dublin coastal towns.

Mark Gleeson 07-04-2013 11:36

Cork local services on paper the least lost making per passenger carried of any service

dowlingm 07-04-2013 20:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson (Post 71189)
Cork local services on paper the least lost making per passenger carried of any service

If East Cork non-Expressway 240/241/260/261 services (Ballycotton, Cloyne, Whitegate etc) connected with the train rather than running down the N25 alongside it maybe it could make more still, or at least left the City Centre trade to the train and instead concentrated on UCC/CIT/Cork Airport/Mahon Point type destinations via the Jack Lynch tunnel that rail will never work for, and some buses serving East Cork relocated to Midleton with early morning Cork City Centre-East Cork villages connecting off the train.

But we don't do joinedyuppy transport in Ireland...

Thomas J Stamp 11-04-2013 12:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by comcor (Post 71180)
I'm not sure the Roscrea-Ballybrophy section even needs services, but it's a short enough distance that Ballybrophy may as well be the terminus.

if using Portlaoise Rail Depot, you have BB as the terminius, and there are some who even on the curent timetable hope from BB to Roscrea, and Roscrea to other places.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Destructix (Post 71181)

Very few if any visitors come to North Tipperary for tourism by rail even on the mainline. If tourism can magically save falling passenger numbers on the Nenagh line then why doesn't Iarnród Éireann open a train station in Holycross which gets over 250,000 visitors per year the most visited attraction in North Tipperary and reopen the Gooldscross-Cashel line.

this is true, but nobody is saying tourism is a magic bullet, and anyway the coach market has tourism fairly well sown up. It is no harm in trying to poach some of that market though as cheaply as possible.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eddie (Post 71182)
I presume IE are sensible enough to know that a proper timetable might save the line, whereas continuation of the current would most likely mean it would go the same way as Wexford to Waterford. How can the possibility of this alternative in any way suit management and unions?

current situation is organised out of limerick, new situation would have to be operated out of portloaise.

dowlingm 17-04-2013 15:34

As long as the line is manually signalled there is a high labour cost and as long as line speeds remain low the bus is going to murder rail because it can deliver more direct service to UL/Plassey Tech Park and Limerick city centre. Rail has virtually no outstanding use case in the Dublin-Roscrea-Limerick corridor - that's not me being pejorative, it's a fact.

NTA Journey Planner Limerick Train Station-Roscrea
BUS12 0529 0657 88min
RAIL 0630 0832 122min*
BUS12 0729 0842 73min

BUS12 0829 0957 88min

* 12mins of the train time involves walking from the station into town.

Until public transport in Ireland is recast into a complementary rather than cutthroat environment I don't see how a service like Nenagh finds a niche.

Destructix 28-09-2013 18:13

1 Attachment(s)
http://www.railusers.ie/forum/attach...d=138039024 8

Is this a last ditch attempt to save the line?

comcor 28-09-2013 22:21

Save the line or kill yields on the line to ensure its closure?

Jamie2k9 28-09-2013 23:40

comcor

there would have to be good yield in the first place for the line to lose it. This will make no difference, people still won't use it.

The line is past saving and the local catchment area have had chance after chance to save the line and didn't bother so closure will happen unless the Government was willing to cover the total losses and the chances of this happening would be very slim.

Thomas J Stamp 02-10-2013 09:33

its down to the timetable, it is not relevant to anyone. therefore its not relevant to anyone and their free friend.

Jamie2k9 12-10-2013 17:33

Our friend Alan Kelly was speaking in Nenagh celebrating 150 years on railway to the town. Would be good if anyone has audio of what he said.

IE even tweeted about it, not very often a railway line without some point of it serving Dublin gets mentioned by IE.

Thomas J Stamp 14-10-2013 11:06

there was/is free trains to promote the route and celebrate the anniversary.

not sure how it went down.


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