LUAS operators criticised over peak-time fare increase

[Brian Condron]

Originally Posted by Unison.ie

LUAS operators criticised over peak-time fare increase
13:10 Thursday January 4th 2007

The operators of the LUAS tram system in Dublin are being criticised for introducing higher fares at peak times.
From Monday, all rush-hour commuters using the trams will have to pay 10 cents extra for their ticket.

The higher fare will operate between 7.45am and 9.30am from Monday to Friday.

The LUAS operators say it is designed to alleviate rush hour congestion by encouraging people to use the service at different times.

However, Fine Gael TD Olivia Mitchell has accused the company of targeting its most loyal customers.

She says extra trams should be introduced to reduce rush-hour congestion instead of a penalty on people who use the LUAS.

My understanding of this is that Smart Card users will not be charged the peak time fare, and that users with weekly / monthly tickets can use either peak / off-peak services with no price variations. How is this targetting the most loyal customers? Headline grabbing again, it must be an awful job to be an opposition spokesperson on something. It looks like the peak fare is to dissuade non-regular users from taking journeys during rush hour that they could take half an hour later, and the intention is to cut down on over-crowding at peak times. Seems pretty straightforward in theorey, but in practice I doubt that it will make much difference. I tend to avoid using the Luas at peak times unless I absolutely need to, and I imagine the majority of non-regular users would do the same!

[Thomas J Stamp]

Exactly the same as UK rail operators did last week. Cue Irish Rail adding a few cent to morning rush hours.

[Brian Condron]

When I lived in Manchester, the Metrolink fare was £1.70, but £3.00 before 9:30AM. The mainline railway also wouldn't let you use the Young Persons Card for journeys before 9:30AM. Annoying policy, even though I could see the reasons for it.

[Mark Gleeson]

This simply exposes the RPA money making machine, bear in mind I could travel on a near empty tram Green Dundrum at 8am and pay a congestion charge with an empty tram.

Samrt card fares are the same as 2005 (yes 2005) levels but still lack the automatic discount as in London

They have problems in London with tube capacity don't see them charging excess now do you ?

You will be hard pushed to find this on the Luas site since the link is wrong

LUAS FARES TO INCREASE FROM MONDAY, 8 JANUARY

RPA today announced Luas fare increases which will come into effect from Monday, 8 January.

There will be no increase in Luas SmartCard fares for the second year running. Luas SmartCards now provide even better value for money and are becoming increasingly popular.

New Peak-Time Single fares will be introduced between 7.45am and 9.30am, Monday to Friday. There will be no increase in single fares outside this weekday morning peak period.

There will be no increase in child fares for the second year running.

The main fare changes are as follows:
- New Peak-Time Single fares 10 cent more than normal single fares;
- Return fares increase by 10 cent;
- Adult 1-Day tickets increase by 20 cent;
- Adult and Student 7 Day tickets increase by 30 to 70 cent;
- Adult and Student 30 Day tickets increase by €1 to €2;
- 1, 7 and 30-Day tickets sold by retail agents increase by between 50 cent (for the Adult 1-Day Flexi Ticket covering all zones) and €4 (for the 30-Day equivalent); and
- Tax-Saver Tickets will increase by between €4 (for the Red Line Monthly Ticket) and €50 (for the All Lines Annual Ticket).

RPA Chief Executive, Frank Allen, said that the fare increases are expected to provide a 2.75% increase in revenue which is needed to cover the costs associated with continuing to provide a high quality service. “The manner in which fare increases are being applied will help to improve convenience and comfort by prompting a switch to SmartCards and off-peak trips in particular”, said Mr Allen.


For further information contact:

Ger Hannon at 087-9091229

[2Funki4Wheelz]

As a regular on the red line (sometimes 4 times a day!) there are lots of people on it at peak times that could get it other times but they don't. Especially between 5 - 6 there's lots of elderly people with shopping that end up squashed and complaining about the crush.

And everyone else complains about all the people going to Heuston, and breathe a sigh when we call get off, it really needs a dedicated up and down service.

The mornings just seem like commuters trying to get to work though, they don't have a lot of choice.

Worst thing is (and this is the best way of putting it) all the day trippers on the trains, coming out of Heuston for a nice shopping trip in City. They walk by empty 90s to get on "the experience" that is the Luas.

A few cent doesn't seem discourage people nowadays, it's just some extra revenue. I do hope it acts as an incentive for regular users to buy Smarts and multi-journey tickets.

[Donal Quinn]

slightly off topic but i remember people saying before that the smart card is awkward to use at peak time because people are slow using it and a queue forms at each scanner - has this improved any?

[Mark Gleeson]

But Donal we are not all wizz kids like you, 99% will hold the card over the machine until it pings when as you know flashing it over the panel is sufficient

[Brian Condron]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

But Donal we are not all wizz kids like you, 99% will hold the card over the machine until it pings when as you know flashing it over the panel is sufficient

Not necesserily, I have flashed the card over the panel on many occasions, only to receive the buzz indicating "card not read". Now, to save time, I always hold the card on front of the panel until it pings.

[Mark Gleeson]

Donal does a great demo, its all in the way you wave the card

[Brian Condron]

Granted I have quite embarrassingly cursed the machine for not reading my card after flashing it and holding it on front of the scanner for ages, before realising (in reality, having the better half point out) that I was using my Leinster season ticket instead of the smart card. Maybe I'm not the best person to be talking about re usage of the smart card.

I also tried to get into a rugby game using a Luas card once.

[2Funki4Wheelz]

The best is women rubbing every side of their handbags off the scanner cos they know the wallet/card is buried under stuff.

[Colm Donoghue]

ten euro cents huh?

A single journey on the tube in London costs £4Sterling if paid in cash
or 6Euros in real money. I would call that an excess.

Minimum bus fare is £2sterling if paid in cash. or 3Euros in real money.

[Thomas J Stamp]

Ten cent is not enough to discourage people into going either by other means or at other times; it cannot be the reason given by the RPA for the price rise.

The LUAS from Heuston to Connolly is dearer than the number 90 bus, and it gets you to the city centre a lot slower (Batchelors Walk/Wynnes Hotel), putting it up by 10 cent can only be for revenue generating purposes.

As for the Heuston Shuttle we were told last June it'll be coming this year, there is one tram which should be still on in the mornings, which is rubbish, it ought to be dedicated 6am to 7 pm but they havent got the rolling stock, because they havent got the capacity because the trams are too short even though we told them so years and years ago.

But what do we know, eh?

[Colm Donoghue]

Originally Posted by Thomas J Stamp

As for the Heuston Shuttle we were told last June it'll be coming this year, there is one tram which should be still on in the mornings, which is rubbish, it ought to be dedicated 6am to 7 pm but they havent got the rolling stock, because they havent got the capacity because the trams are too short even though we told them so years and years ago.

But what do we know, eh?

Actually if you read the rpa's annual report for 2005 supplement,

"http://www.rpa.ie/upload/documents/RPA%202005%20Annual%20Report%20Supplement.pdf"

page 4 states

"Responding to high passenger demand, additional peak period services were introduced between Heuston and Connolly on the red line"


This is repeated again on page 5 of the same document.
Yet a quick perusal of the Luas.ie websites, timetables inparticular show no mention of this shuttle.

This is strange. I mean why wouldn't they advertise thee extra services they are running? It's bizarre. you'ld almost think they aren't running and the rpa are sublty mistaken or mayhaps the rubbish company are breaking their service agreement with the rpa.

You are right Thomas,
What do we know?

[2Funki4Wheelz]

From my experience there's 1 shuttle in the mornings (Heuston - Connolly), usually around 8.45 or later, not necessarily every day but more frequent in last few months. This is a very crowded time, as the late 5.30 from Cork bundles in with a another service and two huge trainloads of people for the 92 and Luas come flooding out.

I've only ever been on one "Connolly - Heuston" and it was a disaster with people hopping on and off all confused and complaining, even though the PA repeatedly announced "This tram terminates at Heuston Station"

[Thomas J Stamp]

i was wondering what time it was at. I'll be on the 5.30 Cork trian in the morning and I'll hang around Heuston to see what goes down.

[apwhite]

Rush hour surcharges are quite common throughout Europe, except that they normally say that the rush hour fare is "normal" and at all other times there is a "reduced" fare.

And sure aren't the taxi drivers doing it as well (except in reverse)...

[Dave]

Originally Posted by 2Funki4Wheelz

The best is women rubbing every side of their handbags off the scanner cos they know the wallet/card is buried under stuff.

They should be hung from their handbag straps for doing that

A long time ago I heard a radio interview with someone from the RPA in which he was asked about a regular dedicated Heuston - Connolly service in addition to the normal Tallaght - Connolly trams. He responded by saying there were two basic problem with implementing a regular Heuston - Connolly shuttle.

1. Dublin City Council refuse to give anymore priority to trams at junctions in the city centre, therefore putting on additional trams would lead to congestion on the tram lines. What we regularly see around Jervis would become even worse with 4 and 5 trams backed up waiting on traffic lights.

2. The power supply. Currently the power supply can handle x amount of trams between Heuston and Connolly at any one time. According to the RPA guy x is almost reached as it is during peak times so putting in more trams between Heuston - Connolly would necessitate the power supply being upgraded.

[kevin]

Originally Posted by Thomas J Stamp

i was wondering what time it was at. I'll be on the 5.30 Cork trian in the morning and I'll hang around Heuston to see what goes down.

Arrived in Heuston at 8:45 this morning off the 06:05 Waterford-Heuston.

As I got out to the luas they were sending off the (almost empty) shuttle from the centre platform and we were left to squeeze onto the next one from tallaght with was already 60-70% full.

Of course we left people behind :-(

kevin

[Mark Gleeson]

I was the tram that left you behind, myself and Thomas Stamp where out on a mission and we could see a wall of people coming through Heuston for the tram

There where seats available, but we would have to pay 10% more from Monday