Fare Increases 2013-2014
 

The determination document is some piece of work and is particularly cynical. Reading between (and to some extent in) the lines, they have basically given IE what they wanted on monthly and annual tickets as they know that this market has no other real option and there is no competition.

Any fare increase needs to increase income, not decrease it.

"Any fare increase needs to increase income, not decrease it."

Not if demand is price-elastic, in which case total revenue will fall when the fare rises. Think about it: if a 5% increase in fares reduces numbers travelling by more than 5%, then revenue falls.

Problem is a review of data shows revenue has increased despite small drops in passenger numbers

The thing with this increase is that is hitting the more inelastic demand much worse. This, in my opinion is extremely cynical. Yes it will probably increase revenue but at a massive cost to Irish Rail's best customers.

It is also coming in on top of a significant worsening of the service quality if the level of overcrowding on this morning's 0545 from Sligo (which was reduce to 4 cars) is anything to go by. I'm not going to bleat about the danger factor which is overstated but this train was not comfortable this morning. If this continues, I can see people from Enfield and Kilcock switching to alternative services.

The reality is that there is an element of the government shifting the burden of the cost of operating public transport onto the operating companies and the end user.

I would think that there is a limit to the amount of inflation busting rises that will be accepted though - as James says they're hitting their best customers (monthly and annual pass holders) with the biggest increases.

I can't imagine that point is too far away.

Re the 4 car crowding - there's going to be an element of this happening while the sets are reconfigured - some trains will need to remain at 2x3 car (such as the 0545), but until a reasonable number of 4 car sets are formed (at the moment there are only 6 sets), there's going to be some trains that will be shorter than desirable for the simple reason that there won't be enough sets to go around.

Yes certainly road traffic has increased in North Kildare in recent weeks, I think that many people have switched from Public Transport, with increased working hours especially Public Servants etc. find the (train) service unreliable timewise. In addition car parking charges (at commuter stations) I feel are also putting people off travelling by train.