Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas Ralph
CIÉ would serve the public infinitely better if its components didn't spend so much time and resources competing with each other. There is absolutely no need for a Bus Éireann service (for example) from Dublin to Cork or Limerick; the Iarnród Éireann services cover both routes admirably well. Price-sensitive customers are accommodated by the new graded pricing (€10/€20/€36 for Cork, €10/€15/€29 for Limerick). Equally, the motivation for the train service from Limerick to Waterford is questionable given Bus Éireann route 55. And then there's Dublin Bus running six routes that run parallel to the DART.
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With due respect, that is wrong. The BE services provide a generally better service to INTERMEDIATE points than rail. Try Portlaoise - Cork, Newbridge - Limerick for example. No or limited through rail services, poor connections. Also, what about towns away from the rail network which get their "local" service provided by Express BE services operating commercially (eg Abbyleix, Cashel) - how do you think they would fare is the service was sold off / withdrawn? Do they not matter because they are not on the rail network? For most people, a through coach Abbeyliex - Dublin is far, far better than a bus to a railhead, change, wait, then train to Dublin - a fact that hub and spoke advocates appear to ignore on many occasions.
Relatively few passengers travel by BE through from Dublin - Cork I suspect, but many will make intermediate and overlapping journeys which support the through service. That said, the Gobus service I saw in Dublin the other day (non stop Galway - Dublin) appeared around 60% full on a mid week lunchtime Dublin arrival.