[Article] Expert says State must invest more in high-speed rail

[Colm Moore]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...288165032.html

Expert says State must invest more in high-speed rail
FRANK McDONALD Environment Editor

UNLESS IRELAND invests in higher-speed rail to compete with faster journey times on new motorways, it will face a “progressive closing of the [railway] network” in the near future, according to a leading transport expert.

Prof Austin Smyth, lead author of a mid-term review of Transport 21 for the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, said the Belfast-Dublin line was “almost a basket case now” due to competition from the M1 motorway and “the same will happen elsewhere”.

The next government would have to decide between three options for the future of the railways – to invest more with the aim of making journey times more competitive, to continue subsidising loss-making services in decline, or to close key routes.

At an institute symposium on the review, Prof Smyth noted that 75 per cent of the money invested under the Transport 21 programme since it was launched in 2005 had gone on roads, with the inter-urban motorways accounting for 89 per cent of this expenditure.

He said it was “not unreasonable to attribute part of the growth in Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions to the improvements in inter-urban roads, which also had negative consequences for spatial development – in particular, by facilitating suburban sprawl”.

Referring to rising oil prices, he warned: “You ain’t seen nothing yet. In 10 years time, today’s prices will seem very cheap.

“Petrol prices of €4, €5 or €6 per litre are not inconceivable in the near future, and transport investment needs to be considered in that context.”

Dick Fearn, chief executive of Iarnród Éireann, said it was “committed to making journey time improvements” on the railways with “relatively modest incremental expenditure to eliminate speed restrictions”, and he believed that such a programme could be funded.

“Ten years ago, we didn’t have a rail infrastructure that was sustainable,” he added.

“We have come a long way and now have a very modern intercity fleet. It’s not yet sufficient. We are now uncompetitive on some intercity routes and need to spend some more money.”

Pat Mangan, who recently retired as assistant secretary at the Department of Transport, said an average of €100 million a year had been invested in the railways. “That needs to continue if we are to not face further restrictions in speed and level of service.”

However there was now “a lot less money for transport than before”, with a “sharp decline” in the annual capital allocation from €3 billion last year to just €1 billion in 2014. This “new reality” might mean imposing more road tolls to raise money for transport investment.

“The first priority is to protect what we have already got,” Mr Mangan told the symposium. Money would have to be spent on the maintenance of new roads, including local and regional roads, as well as ensuring that improved rail services did not deteriorate.

He said the next government needs to make early decisions on major transport investment projects such as Dart underground and Metro North and “stick with them”. Instead of having Ministers “navel gaze”, they should “get on with it” by delivering key projects.

[Colm Moore]

http://www.cilt.ie/news/news-2010/476.html?task=view

News News 2010 NEW MIDTERM TRANSPORT 21 REPORT REVIEWS PROGRESS MADE ON KEY PROJECTS & POLICY
NEW MIDTERM TRANSPORT 21 REPORT REVIEWS PROGRESS MADE ON KEY PROJECTS & POLICY

19th January 2011 – A new midterm report on the ten-year Transport 21 package of investment in Ireland’s transport infrastructure that was announced by the Government in November 2005, has made a series of recommendations about the future direction of Ireland’s transport policy.

The report, commissioned by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport* and authored by Professor Austin Smyth of the University of Westminster in association with Edward Humphreys and Stephen Wood, assesses progress made on the main Transport 21 projects to date, and considers how progress can continue to be made in the new economic context.

The contents of the report are being debated at a public meeting in Dublin this evening, addressed by a number of transport experts, senior representatives of the main transport agencies, economists, and representative organisations.

Speaking ahead of the debate, the President of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, Paul Mallee, said “The clear intention of this new report is to encourage debate about the future direction of Irish transport policy. In particular, the review analyses how Transport 21 should proceed in the new economic reality that confronts Ireland.

“This report therefore applies the new economic context to the original Transport 21 package, and asks us to consider what projects will best assist economic recovery and a return to growth.”

Professor Austin Smyth added, “In 2006 I oversaw an initial independent assessment of the Transport 21 package, entitled Transporting Ireland. Circumstances have changed radically since then, and it is clear that the Government will not be able to spend at the rate that was envisaged at the outset (approximately €3 billion per annum).

“Accordingly, this new report makes a number of key recommendations about future policy in the remaining years of the Transport 21 package in the context of significantly reduced Government expenditure.

“These recommendations include:
* T21’s frame of reference be expanded to include preparation and delivery of multi-modal strategies for the major external gateways and services with a view to boosting economic competitiveness and minimising environmental impacts
* the need for Multi-modal strategies for the major inter urban corridors including:
o road pricing of key National Roads or increases in fuel duty
o investment in higher speed rail and express coach services
o rationalisation of financial support for domestic air travel
* a clear policy on freight movement
* that priority should be given to DART Underground and Luas Cross-City over Metro North
* that urban road user charging and stronger planning procedures are required within the Greater Dublin Area

“The report has assessed all the major T21 projects and reviewed them on the basis of their economic value, their benefit to the overall transport network, and their environmental impact. This has informed our conclusions.”

Mr Mallee concluded, “This report is an extremely valuable contribution to the debate about how we should continue to invest in transport infrastructure to aid recovery and the full range of policy options and choices over the next five years.

“I would encourage Government and Opposition, policymakers, economists and transport organisations to review its findings and key recommendations in order to produce the best possible outcomes for the remaining years of Transport 21.”


A copy of the report is available for download at:
http://cilt.ie/news/news-2010/458-tr...m-review-.html

[Thomas J Stamp]

Whilst it is good to see that Prof. Smyth has zoned in on an issue we raised in the media three or four years ago - that the motorway network will inflict severe damage on the Intercity Rail Network - it is sad to see the old reliables of Congestion Charge/Tolling being mentioned. But that is for another day.

It is staggereing to see a few quotes in there, all blasie-like, as if they are of such non-conqsequence as to be run of the mill, but which are dammning:

Dick Fearn, chief executive of Iarnród Éireann, said it was “committed to making journey time improvements” on the railways with “relatively modest incremental expenditure to eliminate speed restrictions”, and he believed that such a programme could be funded.

“Ten years ago, we didn’t have a rail infrastructure that was sustainable,” he added.

“We have come a long way and now have a very modern intercity fleet. It’s not yet sufficient. We are now uncompetitive on some intercity routes and need to spend some more money.”

Just thought I'd highlight the important bits there. What are "some" routes? At the moment it is all of them, apart from perhaps Sligo or Westport/Ballina and that is only because the Motorway Network didnt go that far. On every route that there is a direct train/Motorway comparison the train is failing in terms of point to point times. More to the point, as we have too often pointed out - the times are getting longer or have not improved at all on the main routes since the 1970's.

IE had no choice but to introduce new rolling stock - the stuff they had was falling apart. They deserve no credit whatsoever for that in my opinion, and in fact should be dammned for letting their stock get into such condition in the first place.

To mention fixing the odd spot here and there is tinkering with the system. There has to be a fundamental relay of the Dublin-Cork line (it has started in the usual piecemeal fashion) in a manner which needs more than "some" money.

Pat Mangan, who recently retired as assistant secretary at the Department of Transport, said an average of €100 million a year had been invested in the railways. “That needs to continue if we are to not face further restrictions in speed and level of service.”

"Some" money is what left the railways in the state they were in, the sum of €100 million per year is chickenfeed compaired to what was really needed and what was not demanded with sufficient vigor by IE and CIE. The company did not ask for and did not get enough to future proof the network. Except perhaps in one way they did, for if the future of the company is to become a small limited commuter rail service based on the GDA then those Intercity Railcars may be fit for purpose after all.

Untill then, untill IE give up the concept of a full intercity rail network entirely, the good people of this review must put it in black and white that unless there is a faster rail service, with the two hourly clockface timetable as shouted about by IE for many many years as a basic then the Intercity Network will go the way of the dinosaur.

[Colm Moore]

Fearn is so off the ball, that when asked what were his highlights and lowlights of Transport 21 that he mentioned the Malahide Viaduct. Definitely a lowlight, but hardly part of T21.

[James Howard]

Sligo isn't speed-competitive with road either. Google Maps says 2 hours 39 minutes by road while the typical Irish Rail time is 3 hours 5 minutes. This would obviously outside of any peak-time delays but from personal experience going as far as Longford, I can easily beat the train by car.

I am not so sure about the validity of the assertion that dramatic improvements in speed are required on all lines. The only class of user that really values speed above all else is the business user and these wouldn't exactly be packing out Sligo line services.

Commuters (well I do) value reliability and comfort most, students and shoppers value price and neither reliability nor price will be much aided by massive investment and service disruptions associated with upgrading a single-line corridor to gain substantial speed improvements.

[Mark Gleeson]

Sligo is doing very well, second only to Cork in numbers and is actually still growing. No motorway west of Kinnegad. The train hammers the bus on journey time and matches on frequency. Bye bye Sligo airport as well, 60k more passengers will need transport

To be fair Colm it took some pushing from you to get him to mention a low point. That said Fearn actually talks the talk just a pity it hasn't been translated into action.

Credit to Frank Allen of the RPA who was quite honest about the planning delays being a problem.

[sean]

Sligo road is Motorway to 5km West of Kinnegad (an HQDC section was reclassified back in '09) continuous dual carriageway with no roundabouts thereafter to beyond Mullingar. Its West of Mullingar that the road is a total shambles, and even out to Longford the train beats the bus on timing.

Though tbh I think it's only because Bus Eireanns services make so many local stops between Mullingar and Busarus and have to leave the main roads to do so, whereas station platforms are on the mainline (obviously).

The real competition for IE out in Sligo/Longford is the private car.

[comcor]

Strangely enough, Cork-Mayo via Portarlington would still be competitive with the road times if they hadn't made you wait an hour for the connection at Portarlington.

Out of interest, how much better could times be if the lines were electrified, but the actual rails not touched

(I know this is an academic point because both upgrading and electrification would be more efficiently done at the same time)

[Mark Gleeson]

Dublin Cork I'd guess a saving of 5-10 minutes at most vs 201/Mk4. The only difference is under acceleration, under braking there is no difference. The only point of serious advantage is departing Cork which is a continuos climb for many miles

For the record a 201/Mk4 is just as quick to 100mph as a UK HST. The UK HST IC 125 is only 5 minutes down on the electric IC225 over several hundred miles