Closure on the cards. A wanton throwaway of an asset whose potential is being ignored

[on the move]

Originally Posted by Thomas J Stamp

all the staples are there: run a railway at times that suit no one and then watch it fail, still good to see they will run it as a heritage line (yes, that was sarcasm)

"alternative methods" = Bus.

disgrace.

Let's examine the alternative arrangements:

1. Bus

So the bus it is then.

I have looked at trying to travel between the two towns when I'm in the area, but surprise surprise the times don't suit.

IE have a fair point when they say it's a loss-making line, but that could be said of many routes across the country. They can't close them all.

[PLUMB LOCO]

Originally Posted by on the move

Let's examine the alternative arrangements:

1. Bus

So the bus it is then.

I have looked at trying to travel between the two towns when I'm in the area, but surprise surprise the times don't suit.

IE have a fair point when they say it's a loss-making line, but that could be said of many routes across the country. They can't close them all.

IE do not have a fair point - there's not a line in the country that doesn't lose money so perhaps the entire system should close down??

[dowlingm]

Plumb - the reality is that they get a subsidy to keep the lines open but they have undoubtedly been told by Finance that tough times are ahead.

However, if BE ever pulled off a route that money could be made from, Citylink or Aircoach or somebody would have the option of applying to operate it. Obviously not the case for IE with the exception of someone being mad enough to buy some 1600mm stock and start an ROI-NI service (and negotiate for slots and station access).

IE are in the position of competing against the road companies (and to a limited extent Ryanair/Aer Arann) which makes publishing financial data tricky but holding a total monopoly position over the use of publicly-owned infrastructure. This is why it's an imperative to disengage operations from network, so that the network operator can maintain the trackage to a standard irrespective of whether it's useful to IE or not.