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Unread 31-07-2019, 16:26   #5
ACustomer
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Join Date: Jan 2006
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Alex:
Quote:
Nevertheless, integrated planning of Irish Rail and Bus Éireann services to end running busses and trains along the same route and timetables that meet the needs of people will surely work as well in Ireland as in other European coutries. We can all learn lessons from Switzerland which has an integrated network of public transport all over the country.
You made similar points in your first post. To a great extent I would agree with you.

First a bit of history. CIE was broken up about 50 years ago into 3 companies, Dublin Bus, Irish Rail and Bus Eireann, the latter two were told to compete with one another. At the time there was no independent transport regulator and the competition thing was probably a reaction to the previous hyper-centralised monopolistic monster called CIE. We now have better governance structures, especially a regulator (NTA) which should, if it were competent, look at the blend of regulation/coordination and competition for franchises which exists elsewhere (and which is emerging for bus services in Dublin).

Having said that, I doubt if private operators can be prevented from competing on Intercity routes with Irish Rail, but maybe some rail connectivity obligations might be imposed on them as a condition for a licence.
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