Rail Users Ireland Forum - View Single Post - [IT letter] Sharp decline in rail freight

Mark Gleeson · 29-03-2006, 08:49

Point is simple the arse fell out of the freight business, there is no scale as a result

Irish Cement have pulled out as its cheaper go by road, Diageo are talking the same story. The wagons on the Sligo Oil train where not compliant with modern safety requirements

The primary reason why freight died was EU rules which forced IE to produce 3 accounts, passenger, freight and infrastructure. At this point the suspect cross subsidisation where money allocated for provision of uneconomic passenger services where syphoned off to bank roll the freight business had to stop.

As a result passenger services show a significant improvement as money was no longer shifted to places it wasn't meant to go. Bell Lines, Asahi, IFI, Slivermines, Ballinacourty and Greencore would almost certainly still be shipping by rail if they hadn't all ceased trading.

Despite all the hype about there being demand no third party operator has gone on record publicly stating an interest, we know of one company which has expressed an interest but they have never operated a revenue earning freight service in the UK.

Government has to stump up the cash. It was unacceptable that monies for passenger services for many years where spent elsewhere that situation cannot be tolerated anymore

29-03-2006, 08:49	#5
Mark Gleeson Technical Officer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coach C, Seat 33 Posts: 12,669	Point is simple the arse fell out of the freight business, there is no scale as a result Irish Cement have pulled out as its cheaper go by road, Diageo are talking the same story. The wagons on the Sligo Oil train where not compliant with modern safety requirements The primary reason why freight died was EU rules which forced IE to produce 3 accounts, passenger, freight and infrastructure. At this point the suspect cross subsidisation where money allocated for provision of uneconomic passenger services where syphoned off to bank roll the freight business had to stop. As a result passenger services show a significant improvement as money was no longer shifted to places it wasn't meant to go. Bell Lines, Asahi, IFI, Slivermines, Ballinacourty and Greencore would almost certainly still be shipping by rail if they hadn't all ceased trading. Despite all the hype about there being demand no third party operator has gone on record publicly stating an interest, we know of one company which has expressed an interest but they have never operated a revenue earning freight service in the UK. Government has to stump up the cash. It was unacceptable that monies for passenger services for many years where spent elsewhere that situation cannot be tolerated anymore Last edited by Mark Gleeson : 29-03-2006 at 08:56.