Quote:
Originally Posted by KSW
I've noticed Iarnrod Eireann are always tipping themselfs from the Dublin Cork route as its the fastest but they never seem to mention any other route as the motorway is much faster than the train. Take Dublin to Gorey 1hr50mins by train and about 1hr10mins by car tell me why the Rosslare line is so quite again  !! |
Well they're faster than a non-direct bus, but that's set to change if the bus starts averaging motorway speeds the entire route down.
Irish Rail seem to be determined to build a 1960s railway network for some reason. I don't quite understand why Cork-Dublin in particular can't be a LOT faster than going by road.
Perhaps it's time that the Green Party starts to show that they're not just Greena Fáil and starts to actually put some serious pressure on to get the intercity services in shape.
Pumping billions into a semi-state company that's unwilling or unable to do anything other than buy shiny new trains and then continue to operate them in exactly the same way as the old trains is a bit of a waste of tax payers money in my opinion.
I am seriously starting to think that the only way this could be resolved in the long term is to move the RPA in on key lines.
So far all CIE have done is :
1) Failed to make any significant improvement to speed of services to the level they're falling behind road speeds.
2) Failed to improve customer service to any appreciable level
3) Failed to improve reliability (constant inexplicable strikes)
4) Failed to provide appropriate vechicles - no bike carrying space in tourist areas, questionable new rolling stock that seems prone to high levels of failure
5) Shown no interest in customer comfort on board - full heating on hot days, full air conditioning on cold days, over crowding.
6) Complete lack of respect for paying customers.
7) Inexplicably bad management of maintenence work.
oh and killing rail freight off completely and thus increasing our carbon footprint for no good reason.
Why shouldn't this crowd just be abolished?
I'm not saying this because I've some ideological love of privitisation. The likes of the ESB have done a wonderful job, but it seems CIE are amongst the worst examples of a semi-state company. Perhaps it's time to call it a day and give someone else a chance?
Even just let the RPA have a bash at running maybe 2 key routes and see how it goes..
E.g. Cork and Belfast
Or, give them the new Cork Commuter stuff