Figures/messing around with timetables

[Thomas J Stamp]

Originally Posted by Destructix

Wouldn't it be just easier for the people to force Alan Kelly to resign and close this line. As Dowlingm said in another post have that 22k set working Limerick-Limerick junction (possibly on to Waterford) No avoidable delays then.

there is no need to close the line, as we have long said you can run a nice little shuttle service all day long on it, we even did a timetable for it. it serves its primary function of commuters to and from limerick very well.

as the numbers show, there is pratically zero demand for a service to Dublin from the branch stations. Anyone who actually commutes will, logically, need to be in the city centre at 9am-ish.

They have been using Thurles/Templemore for years, they prabably have a yearly ticket for this year already and will not risk changing over to a service which is well known locally to be a trial one running till probably september. Then they will have to change back again.

Simply speaking, it is a very small number this far out anyway. Apart from occasional business users such as myself, you are really looking at civil/public servants whose core hours are 10am-4pm and therefore dont mind if the train gets in as late as 8.50 on occasion. We estimate that, in reality, you cant be working further beyond the IFSC/Stephens Green areas if you use this train and want to be in on time (using the Luas and 145/90 bus) and that is civil/public sector HQ. You also need to be in a reletivly high position to be able to afford the costs of a monthly/annual ticket (or for your employer to do so). That really narrows down the potential passenger numbers. Of course, had minister Kelly actually done his homework he would have known that.

Then again, maybe he did, and as I have said before, it is a characteristic of north tipperary that people will want this service, will support it very vocally, but will not use it, because it is not relevent to them in any practical way. If you are a local TD here, so long as you are seen to support whatever is vocally and ernestly wanted, you are onto a winner, just ask Michael Lowry.