Proposals for extra train services in North Tipperary...

[Mark Gleeson]

If there had been a consultation you can bet there would have been a very different outcome.

They have 6 months to use it or lose it and odds are it will be a lose it.

[2200DMU]

http://www.independent.ie/national-n...e-3032178.html

[Lyle Langley]

It's a pity for rail enthusiasts that the new services such as this and the WRC would - even to us - not make sense. I await further negative stories in the paper in five months' time or so.

[Traincustomer]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

If there had been a consultation you can bet there would have been a very different outcome.
They have 6 months to use it or lose it and odds are it will be a lose it.

Does the "use it or lose it" pertain solely to the 05.15 or to all services on the line?

Personally I feel the "use it or lose it" concept should be made quite explicit by IE and the local group/s. It can't do any harm and indeed is fair in many respects on all sides. In that I mean putting the fact in clear language, words like "trial", "your support" etc... on posters at every station.

To draw a parallel - across in Wales the new local trains to Fishguard are for a three year trial and this fact and the attendant need to support them seems very well known and appreciated by the local community there.

A clear step by step process which is transparent is needed in these sort of things.

To ensure fairness from all sides though the Limerick commuter situation should be addressed and finer details as per dowlingm's post addressed.

[Destructix]

Kelly Defends Extra Rail Services


Published on Monday 27 February 2012 14:30

THE Junior Minister for Public Transport, Alan Kelly, has defended the implementation of a new early morning service and other changes on the Limerick to Ballybrophy line, which serves Birdhill, Nenagh, Cloughjordan and Roscrea. And he rejected claims that the cost of the extra services would amount to E20,000 per day.

He insisted that Iarnrod Eireann was only implementing what its own Goodbody commissioned report had found and that was that the only way to save the line was though enhancing services on it.

“On top of that, the new early morning service will stop at stations on the way into Dublin, giving commuters extra options,” he said. “This is something Iarnrod Eireann wanted.”

Full report in this week’s Tipperary Star

€20,000 per day what the flip. That is roughly €3 million this line could cost the state within six months if the number of users isn't high.

[Inniskeen]

Originally Posted by Destructix

€20,000 per day what the flip. That is roughly €3 million this line could cost the state within six months if the number of users isn't high.

How is this €20,000 made up ?

If this is the marginal cost of a return service from Limerick to Dublin (0515 out via Nenagh, 1340 back via Limerick Junction) and an extension of a second train from Nenagh to Ballybrophy and back to Nenagh then the railway company has a massive problem with its operational costs.

In addition to the costs directly associated with the extra trains the branch is open for approximnately an extra one and a half hours, five days per week - at most equivalent to the cost of two additional staff per day.

The numbers simply don't add up and have clearly been fed to a ignorant and gullible media.

[finnyus]

Had planned to sample the 0515 Limerick - Heuston on 05. March, however using irishrail.ie that service does not appear, unless I am traveling from any other station except Limerick. So, currently on irishrail.ie, you cannot book 0515 Limerick - Heuston from the following stations:
- Limerick (Colbert)
- Castleconnell
- Birdhill
- Cloughjordan
- Roscrea

The stations on the Nenagh line (except Limerick & Ballybrophy) have no ticket vending machines, so I can understand why it is not currently possible to book tickets online for those stations. Nenagh, I assume will get the purchased online tickets from Thurles, similar to what happened when the GAA spl operated over the line back in September.

[Colm Moore]

Seems to be OK now.

[finnyus]

Originally Posted by Colm Moore

Seems to be OK now.

Unfortunately for me, the 0530 is still the first service showing on irishrail.ie (see attachment).

[doherty jack]

Originally Posted by finnyus

Had planned to sample the 0515 Limerick - Heuston on 05. March, however using irishrail.ie that service does not appear, unless I am traveling from any other station except Limerick. So, currently on irishrail.ie, you cannot book 0515 Limerick - Heuston from the following stations:
- Limerick (Colbert)
- Castleconnell
- Birdhill
- Cloughjordan
- Roscrea

The stations on the Nenagh line (except Limerick & Ballybrophy) have no ticket vending machines, so I can understand why it is not currently possible to book tickets online for those stations. Nenagh, I assume will get the purchased online tickets from Thurles, similar to what happened when the GAA spl operated over the line back in September.

the stations had computers up to a few years ago but staff wernt trained to use them so sent back to thurles!

Originally Posted by Traincustomer

Does the "use it or lose it" pertain solely to the 05.15 or to all services on the line?

Personally I feel the "use it or lose it" concept should be made quite explicit by IE and the local group/s. It can't do any harm and indeed is fair in many respects on all sides. In that I mean putting the fact in clear language, words like "trial", "your support" etc... on posters at every station.

To draw a parallel - across in Wales the new local trains to Fishguard are for a three year trial and this fact and the attendant need to support them seems very well known and appreciated by the local community there.

A clear step by step process which is transparent is needed in these sort of things.

To ensure fairness from all sides though the Limerick commuter situation should be addressed and finer details as per dowlingm's post addressed.

as part of the Nenagh rail partnership , we are putting up posters the disused shopfronts in towns & villages along the line to promote it , also a poster has been cabled tied to the gates at Roscrea & Nenagh stations reading (roscrea) Roscrea -dublin , adult day return ,E24.50......(Nenagh) Nenagh - Dublin ,adult dat return ,E26.00

[Jamie2k9]

Or perhaps split one of the existing trains with 1/2 going via Nenagh and 1/2 via Thurles?

good suggestion but cost increase with a second driver required.

yes , but people wont join overnight and not enough will use it in the 1st 6months ! which is unfortunate!

Don't agree with that, if people in the region wanted a direct train to Dublin so much then they will use it once it starts operating. Why ask for one and not use it once it starts?

[seamus kilcock]

I'm a pro train person - I was brought up on the railways, my father was a station master.
But, the chances of the new services between Limerick, Roscrea, B'brophy, Dublin have no chance of survival. The economics do not add up.
Between the Bus Eireann services and upgraded Motorway roads the railway service stands no chance of success and by extension survival.
The cost of reinstating the WRC was one of the greatest waste of valuable resources for a long time. Let's not repeat it on the Limerick to B'brophy line.
The truth sometimes does hurt!

[Traincustomer]

@ Jack. Thanks for the update.

[brompton7]

Originally Posted by doherty jack

as part of the Nenagh rail partnership , we are putting up posters the disused shopfronts in towns & villages along the line to promote it , also a poster has been cabled tied to the gates at Roscrea & Nenagh stations reading (roscrea) Roscrea -dublin , adult day return ,E24.50......(Nenagh) Nenagh - Dublin ,adult dat return ,E26.00

Some individuals I have spoken to recently that drive my route from Killaloe/Ballina / East Clare were not aware that a functional railway station even exists at Birdhill, never mind that a commuter service runs on it.

Considering Killaloe/Ballina is a tourist hub / confluence can the NRP drop some posters around there? Some business are considering pooling resources to provide a Killaloe/Ballina shuttle service to bring visitors to the heritage towns/ lake villages and marinas from rail services at Birdhill. Idea was put on ice over publicity about line closure so investment in bus was deferred. Just another thought....

[Charlie Hungerford]

Originally Posted by Traincustomer

To draw a parallel - across in Wales the new local trains to Fishguard are for a three year trial and this fact and the attendant need to support them seems very well known and appreciated by the local community there.

The 'Use it or lose it' principle is also being employed by NIR on the Whitehead-Larne Harbour section of its Larne line. Basically, the locals have been given a year or so to demonstrate that there's a demand for the current service, which is poorly-utilised after Whitehead, otherwise the frequency on that section of the line will be cut to one train every two hours to allow for enhanced services on the remainder of the line.