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Unread 28-06-2012, 14:15   #16
Traincustomer
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: ar an traein
Posts: 600
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fiskar View Post
Hi traincustomer

Forget about spurs as this rail link is a dead duck. With regard to the bus depot, I see alot of sense to it. It makes no sense waiting for a bus to Trim in bad weather when the bus to Trim originates in Drogehda where buses get snowed in and cannot get up the hill (yes, we have had the pleasure of this experience). The sooner the depot happens the better. Also when the 109 starts using the elephant motorway we maynot need the train for awhile to get into Dublin city quicker.

The quicker this all happens the better or I will need to move house.
Hello fiskar, I too very much agree with the need for the bus station. It's how that bus station comes to fruition is what I have an issue with:

* the existing railway station facility only needs a very low sum spent on it (literally in tens of thousands) to make it into a fit for purpose bus station. That would principally entail two elements. Some work in the building to provide a waiting area, toilets and possible retail space. Some work outside mainly in terms of kerbing, surfacing, footpath, marking out bays and signage. The amount of work needed really is very little and would cost very little. If this had the green light in the morning it would be completed in months rather than years. Using the railway station does not mean a second rate bus station and ticks the boxes of a central walkable location and cost-effective use of existing CIÉ-owned assets and scarce public monies (Letterkenny Bus Éireann station is an example of a former railway station in bus use).

* The other option (which is the one being pursued) comes across as very wasteful (and very slow) as it will result in spending hundreds of thousands (if not into millions) to acquire the land for the bus station. Then the whole planning process for the station. Like the railway that probably will never come one could still be discussing the awaited bus station in 2015 or 2020.

That's my reasoning for favouring using the existing station. It ticks the boxes and will deliver a bus station facility for the town fast and cost-effectively.

Until around ten years ago one of the Navan-Drogheda route buses was based in Navan overnight which was sensible. But then that bus was brought back to Drogheda garage possibly due to staffing changes and to save having to pay rent as the bus used to park in private premises. Unfortunately even if the bus station goes ahead in Navan it doesn't mean that any of the buses that run on the 188 route Trim-Navan-Drogheda will be based in Navan. Could be wrong but the information seems to suggests a station and not a garage as such. A small number of Bus Éireann buses are based overnight in the Balmoral Industrial Estate whereas the rest of the buses serving Navan all come from Broadstone/Kells/Cavan/Drogheda garages.

The Cavan-Dublin buses which depart Navan Square at xx:05 for much of the day and ex Busáras at xx:30 use the M3 between Navan and Dublin but these can be full/near-full from the Co. Cavan section of the route and several "motorway expresses" are clearly needed between Navan and Dublin especially in the peaks.

Last edited by Traincustomer : 28-06-2012 at 14:18. Reason: addition
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