[Letter] PUBLIC TRANSPORT SHORTCOMINGS

[Navan Junction]

Irish Times, 01.05.06

Madam, - Returning to this litter-strewn country once again after a number of years' absence brings with it the usual surprises, most of them unpleasant.

On a recent day trip to Dublin, Bus Éireann in particular opened by eyes to how far Ireland has yet to progress in terms of transport integration and transport policy in general. My first surprise was being told that a return ticket to Waterford was no longer available from Tramore, where I began my journey. My second surprise was to find that this bus service no longer served the train station. When enquiring as to what service included the train station the third surprise emerged - no service existed! And certainly no apology for this lack of service.

On returning to Waterford later that day the unedifying sight of a frail old lady dragging her bag 500 metres from the train station across seven busy exposed thoroughfares of the city to make her bus connection was enough to bring my blood to boil.

The Minister of Transport, who ironically comes from this neck of the woods, will probably lay these decisions on some inept middle-management in the organisation, but ultimately it is his portfolio and his responsibility for this débâcle, and the responsibility therefore lies with him to address this nonsense.

Just for a moment I thought that if the people of Waterford were so passive as to accept this state of play then it was nothing less than they deserved, but perhaps rather sadly they are just so brow-beaten to no longer care. - Yours, etc,

KIERAN AYLWARD, Tramore, Co Waterford.

[Thomas J Stamp]

He must have been gone a few yars all right, that new bus station is well establ;ished on the Quay. As far as I remember all of the waterford city services used to operated form "Clock Tower" which is also on the Quay. Did any city services ever go to the station? I remember that the Expressway services did, all right.

[ACustomer]

No, the city services never went to the Railway Station. However Expressway and services to Tramore did, when the Bus Eireann station was co-located with the Rail station. The new bus station is more or less where an old CIE bus station used to be, so the situation is now more or less what it was in the 50s and early 60s. While the new Bus station is conveniently located (more so than the rail station) to the city centre, the lack of integration between the two modes is a real problem. The only solution would be a shuttle bus - one vehicle could easily provide a connection to and from every train to the bus station. But that would be joined-up thinking - heresy!

[Mark Gleeson]

I better not mention Cork

[ACustomer]

HAving just looked at Bus Eireann's timetables, it appears that they have got things half right. About 4 buses a day (apparently connecting with trains from Dublin) depart from Waterford railway station for Tramore 5 minutes befor leaving the bus station. However there seems to be no corresponding connection from Tramore to Waterford railway station. This is to say the least sloppy (or maybe the printed timetable is wrong - again sloppy)

[Thomas J Stamp]

I better not mention Cork

No, better not.

How do people in Cork put up with such a bad service is really beyond me.