[PR] RPA Annual Report 2008

[Colm Moore]

http://www.rpa.ie/en/news/Pages/RPAA...eport2008.aspx

RPA Annual Report 2008
RAILWAY PROCUREMENT AGENCY ANNUAL REPORT 2008

The Railway Procurement Agency today 3 July 2009 published its Annual Report for 2008, the fourth full year of operation of the Luas Red and Green Lines. Luas celebrated its fifth birthday on June 30th. The service began on June 30th 2004 with the opening of the Green Line, followed that September by the Red Line.

In 2008, RPA generated an after-tax surplus of €7.4 million (2007: €6.6 million). 2008 was a very challenging year and during a year where the overall demand for public transport services fell, these results reflect the continuing attractiveness of the Luas product but also reflect the changing economic climate .

RPA’s accumulated surpluses are maintained in a reserve that has been established to fund future refurbishment of Luas Infrastructure. This will ensure that the current high quality of Luas passenger service will be maintained in the future.

Luas continues to maintain its position within the small group of successful urban public transport systems in Europe that do not require operating subventions. Luas carried 27.4 million passengers in 2008 which represents a decrease of 3.5% over 2007. The indications are that this decrease will continue in 2009. RPA is monitoring the situation closely and has already made schedule changes which reflect the decline in demand, which has particularly impacted the Red Line

RPA’s 2008 Annual Report underlines the Agency’s progress with planning and implementing the metro, light rail and integrated ticketing projects included in the Government’s Transport 21 investment program.

For further information please contact Iain Thomson, Assistant Secretary on 086 771 6585.

Click here to view or download the 2008 RPA Annual Report

Click here to view all RPA Annual Reports

On the second link, there is a supplement and Irish versions.

[Mark Hennessy]

Had a qucik flick through that report.

Not exactly gleaming with openess is it?

Zero mention of how much Luas users are paying towards the cost of having Veolia run the service.

So a profitable rail service (once the tax payers pay all the capital costs - fair enough), say €160m in the bank after 25 years for a mid life reurbishment of the system.

How far will that go towards an overhaul and who will stump any shortfall?

Also, why are users forced into fare increases each year, is there an "upwards-only" annual review with Veolia to set the % increase we must hand over at the fare box?

Shouldn't fares be coming down in this deflationary era?

Also who nominates the board members of the RPA, I presume they are FF / Green appointees?