Extending Cork Commuter services to Thurles

[jscales1]

Is there a case to start a commuter train service from Thurles to Cork Kent. The first train from Thurles until 8:20am arriving in Cork at 9:55am. Is there demand for such a service as commuter services seem to be the focus of alot of investement currently by IR

[Mark Gleeson]

What is needed is a 6am Dublin Cork service which fills the gap on the entire route. Its no problem get back from Cork as there is a 20:30 service (which is lucky to have more than 100 on board).

But lets be sensible do we really want to promote a 80+ mile daily hike to Cork from Thurles? Its not sensible, not sustainable and the economics say the trains are better used on Mallow - Cork - Cobh/Midelton where there is good demand.

[jscales1]

I see your point I was of the impression that Thurles would be similar to Longford/Athlone types of towns were people from Thurles would work mainly in Cork. Best to work on the Midelton/Mallow/Cobh towns for the short them to build up commuter numbers thanks again.

[Mark Gleeson]

I know many people in Thurles and know of many travelling to Dublin but have yet to meet someone travelling to Cork.

[comcor]

There's actually a map from the CSO of where people commute into Cork from (similar maps exist for other cities too).



Anywhere not shown on the map is below 20 commuters a day, so numbers from Thurles have to be minute.

Looking at it, you'd have to say that Mark's idea of a 6:00am Dublin-Cork train, with a stop in Charleville for the only significant number of commuters who are currently unserved, would look like the best idea.

In the longer-term, maybe there's a case for a stopping service along the lines of Cork-(Blarney)-Mallow-(Buttevant)-Charleville-(Kilmallock)-Limerick Junction-(Dundrum)-Thurles running a few times a day and feeding a Cork-Dublin train in Thurles, thus providing better connectivity for some towns that have either seen their station closed or seen frequencies cut as the Cork-Dublin doesn't stop as frequently any more.

[KSW]

Not to take the focus away from the Cork-Thurles commuter service but I wanted to ask is there a map from the CSO of people commuting from Rosslare/Wexford/Gorey.

[comcor]

Commuters from Co Wexford show up for four of the towns for which maps are available - Bray, Dublin, Waterford and Wexford

The first link has Bray and Dublin in it, the second Waterford and Wexford

http://www.cso.ie/census/..%5Ccensus...iles%20A-D.pdf

http://www.cso.ie/census/..%5Ccensus...iles%20P-W.pdf

[zag]

Looking at one of those PDFs, I see Portlaoighise . . . interesting spelling. I guess it explains the Port-leh-oishah pronunciation on RTE.

I don't suppose anyone has details of heated local council debates between the Portlaoise-er and the Portlaoighise-ers ?

z