Are Irish Rail planning on introducing paid-parking to Ballybrophy ?

[laoisfan]

Hi,

I am just wondering if anyone has heard of Irish Rail planning on introducing paid-parking at Ballybrophy ? Rumour that they are planning to apply for permission to extend the existing car park. I checked Laois County Council planning online, nothing granted in the last year and no new application got in for the last 42 days.

Any information would be appreciated.

It would be a killer as this station is rural with the nearest towns/villages approx. 2.5-3 miles in either direction from the train station. No alternative.

Thanks.

[Mark Gleeson]

At this point its unclear if they will charge

After several years of trying to charge everyone everywhere they have started to back off and more rural locations.

[laoisfan]

Thanks Mark.

Apparently there were some Irish Rail suits out counting cars recently.

There has been a decrease in nearby Templemore, noticeable increase in car in Ballybrophy, as people save several hundred per year on annual ticket plus avoid car parking charges. Driving between Templemore to Ballybrophy is not a big deal either.

[Thomas J Stamp]

Originally Posted by laoisfan

Thanks Mark.

Apparently there were some Irish Rail suits out counting cars recently.

There has been a decrease in nearby Templemore, noticeable increase in car in Ballybrophy, as people save several hundred per year on annual ticket plus avoid car parking charges. Driving between Templemore to Ballybrophy is not a big deal either.

templemore started charging just after they finally tarmacked the carpark, and then extended it. today there is a long line of cars outside the carpark every day, half of the carpack is fenced off, the other half is half empty.

brophy is being used instead, its as far from my house to either, brophy cheaper ticket and no car park charging, so far. if IE charge there is a good approach road where everyone will park instead leaving an empty car park.

[James Howard]

It would be good if they got a bit more real about parking. In rural locations, there are very few people leaving the car without using the train.

People are funny about parking and a 3 euro charge (most occasional users will not have a parkbytext account) will often persuade two people in a car to drive rather than use the train. There is no way the parking charges are revenue positive to Irish Rail.

In urban areas it is different, you could argue that the charges are too low in places like Longford or Mullingar where the stations are in the town centre and it can cost a euro an hour to park on the street. In these cases, they should give you a day free with a day return and two or three days with a monthly return.

[Ronald Binge]

Originally Posted by James Howard

It would be good if they got a bit more real about parking. In rural locations, there are very few people leaving the car without using the train.

People are funny about parking and a 3 euro charge (most occasional users will not have a parkbytext account) will often persuade two people in a car to drive rather than use the train. There is no way the parking charges are revenue positive to Irish Rail.

In urban areas it is different, you could argue that the charges are too low in places like Longford or Mullingar where the stations are in the town centre and it can cost a euro an hour to park on the street. In these cases, they should give you a day free with a day return and two or three days with a monthly return.

Hilarious, over on boards.ie CIE is being criticised for having free parking at Gort etc. God forbid that any extra pax use the Limerick - Galway trains

[dowlingm]

Free parking in towns with for-pay street parking is robbing the LA of funds though surely?

3 euro charge (most occasional users will not have a parkbytext account) will often persuade two people in a car to drive rather than use the train.

But how much will the parking be at their destination?

[James Howard]

Originally Posted by dowlingm

Free parking in towns with for-pay street parking is robbing the LA of funds though surely?

Very few downs have on-street parking that costs lest than 2 euro per day - I would quote the 2 euro rate here as people using the station for regular parking would have a park by text account.

Originally Posted by dowlingm

But how much will the parking be at their destination?

That depends on where they are going. A lot of people from my area park in Liffey Valley and take a bus into town from there. I never suggested people we being logical about it. The fact is that many if not most people have an irrational love for their car and they are just looking for an excuse to persuade themselves that they might as well drive. The 3 euro parking charge is often just such an excuse.

[Inniskeen]

Originally Posted by James Howard

Very few downs have on-street parking that costs lest than 2 euro per day - I would quote the 2 euro rate here as people using the station for regular parking would have a park by text account.


That depends on where they are going. A lot of people from my area park in Liffey Valley and take a bus into town from there. I never suggested people we being logical about it. The fact is that many if not most people have an irrational love for their car and they are just looking for an excuse to persuade themselves that they might as well drive. The 3 euro parking charge is often just such an excuse.

Hard to justify the parking cahrge in most instances. Ok it may not be a huge charge but it does add up over a year's commuting and probably deprives Irish Rail of more revenue in diverted journeys than the pittance they get from the car park operator. Public resistance is obvious.

[Thomas J Stamp]

Originally Posted by James Howard

Very few downs have on-street parking that costs lest than 2 euro per day - I would quote the 2 euro rate here as people using the station for regular parking would have a park by text account.

€2.30 a day in roscrea, station car park is free, but its a good bit out.

templemore is something like €2 a day, station a long way out, dearer.

Nenagh, €2.50-3.00 a day, station good bit out, dearer/same depending on what car park you compare it to.

Thurles, same thing.

[laoisfan]

And Ballybrophy ( if paid parking was introduced ) has no alternative. I know people mention the long road leading up to the station but I would not be surprised if Irish Rail asked council for double yellow lines.

[haddockman]

As it is people are having to park on the road leading to the station as the car park is too small in Ballybrophy.

No chance of double yellow lines. There are no GardaÃ* to enforce it.

[laoisfan]

There is an area beside the car park which is currently used for storing of various types of hard core ( which was used when they were upgrading the tracks at BB ).

The rumor ( another one LOL ) is that the car park would be extended into this area....if they decided to expand the car park that is.

[doherty jack]

There isnt a hope that pay parking would go into BallyBrophy , it would ruin it !

[laoisfan]

Hi..again

There is a lady who live about 5 mins drive from Ballybrophy. She works for Irish Rail in the offices at Heuston Station. She uses Ballybrophy station everyday, either parking there or being dropped off.

She has told some other regular commuters that Irish Rail are looking to extend the existing car park. The area beside the car park is currently used as a storage area for different grades of hard core (used when they were doing up the tracks a few years ago). If they do decide to extend the car park she says that paid parking will be introduced (not sure if that is her opinion or she is just repeating what she has heard at work).

Has anyone heard of this?

Ballybrophy is still very busy, people parking on the approach road too. Majority of people are commuters who used to catch the train from Templemore (they are making a big saving on price of ticket & currently zero parking charges).

Thanks!

[dowlingm]

I'm looking at the Street view around Ballybrophy and as far as I can tell it's the sort of area where enforcement against road parking and consequent reduced sighting distances would be a pretty good idea. Even better, a shuttle service between Borris-in-Ossory and Rathdowney (to the bizarrely located "Outlet" )

EDIT: I am familiar with the roads around Rathdowney as I used to have a client in the area. Not so much business travel as rallying.

[haddockman]

The "Outlet" in Rathdowney is no more. Gone a few years now.

Would extending the car park mean getting rid of the signal box pub?

[laoisfan]

Originally Posted by haddockman

...
Would extending the car park mean getting rid of the signal box pub?

No - you're thinking the wrong direction. Think the opposite direction.

The proposed extension is right beside the current car park. It has several heaps of hard core in it currently (left over from the track works a few years ago ). The approach road runs along side it.

[dowlingm]

Originally Posted by haddockman

The "Outlet" in Rathdowney is no more. Gone a few years now.

Ah, thanks. Based on Street View I thought it was still going.

[Traincustomer]

One wonders whether a peak-time shuttle minibus to/from Ballybrophy station could be sustained or if indeed an existing bus passing the end of the station approach road (Slieve Bloom Coaches Borris-in-Ossory - Rathdowney - Portlaoise route 831) could be integrated with the rail service in the morning and evening peak. Incidentally the timings of this bus service do coincide closely with the departure of a Dublin-bound train in the morning and the arrival of an ex-Heuston train in the evening though any bus that would be integrating with the rail service would ideally need to drive up to the station per se.

Thought this was worth a mention.