Bord Snip Transport cuts

[namloc]

The Bord Snip Nua has identified some cuts in the transport budget. €55m from 'operational efficencies among CIE companies' Report Any thoughts on what this would entail??

They suggest lightly-ued rail lines should be closed and replaced by bus and they also recommend ceasing further development of the WRC.

Any thoughts?

[drumcondra commuter]

Originally Posted by namloc

Any thoughts?

The McCarthy report recommends these and suggests these savings, wait for the slow and quiet backing away from anything too controversial in the next two weeks. You can almost hear the gears of lobbying grinding.....

[namloc]

I see that the rail lines ear marked to be axed are Limerick Junction-Rosslare, Limerick-Ballybrophy & Manulla-Ballina. As you say there'll be alot of people keeping their heads down and distancing themselves from these proposed cuts.

[ThomasJ]

from the report

The Department of Transport's 2009 current expenditure allocation for Public Transport is €342m,
which is primarily spent to support non-commercial bus and rail services. The Special Group is
recommending total savings of €68m a year for this Programme.
The Exchequer current allocation to CIÉ for the provision of non-commercial public transport
services (PSO payments) has already been reduced in 2009 by €10m (3%). This reduction is on the
back of a number of years where the allocation was held level (a reduction in real terms) and also is
in addition to the ending of a fuel excise rebate scheme which was worth about €20m annually to
CIE. The impact of this can be seen already in the recently announced programme of cost-cutting
measures by Dublin Bus and the review of operations, services and routes by Bus Eireann. The
Group is of the view that this cost-cutting programme can be more extensive and recommends that
over the next three years the company focuses on reducing its annual operation costs of €1bn to
allow it to pass on €55m in full year savings to the Exchequer by means of reduced PSO payments.

Table 17.6 Transport - Measures identified for Programme C
Annual savings
C.1 Operational efficiencies among CIÉ companies €55.0m
C.2 Cease funding the Rural Transport Scheme €11.0m
C.3 Discontinue the Green Schools Initiative €2.0m
Total Current Savings €68.0m

C.1 Operational efficiencies among CIE companies
The Group is concerned by the overall upward trend in the level of public service payments per
passenger journey although it notes that Irish Rail has achieved a small reduction (Irish Rail still
has the highest PSO payment per passenger journey of the three CIÉ transport companies). This
indicates poor service delivery. Accordingly, the Group recommends a scheme of targeted
reductions to services across all three CIÉ companies, focused in the first instance on off-peak, low
patronage services.
As part of this undertaking, the Department of Transport and CIÉ should jointly review the
application of PSO payments to low patronage transport routes and explore how such payments can
be best targeted/applied to provide the most economical service levels that meet customer needs and
demand patterns. For example, lightly used rail lines should be closed and replacement bus services
provided. It is more than likely that more regular and reliable bus services could be provided on
such corridors at less cost to the Exchequer.
Among the most lightly used rail lines that should be
examined in this light include:
- Limerick Junction to Rosslare
- Limerick to Ballybrophy;
- Manulla Junction to Ballina.

In addition, the Group recommends that there should be no further development of the Western Rail
Corridor.
Overall, the Group targets a significant reduction of costs at CIÉ which would lead to savings of
€55m in the PSO payment.

[PLUMB LOCO]

Originally Posted by drumcondra commuter

The McCarthy report recommends these and suggests these savings, wait for the slow and quiet backing away from anything too controversial in the next two weeks. You can almost hear the gears of lobbying grinding.....

It's called democracy! If you want to see all the lightly used railways closed why don't you form a lobby group yourself and start lobbying - there are plenty here and on Boards.ie that will support you.

[Traincustomer]

Hopefully the people who want these lines closed realise that they could in effect be biting the hand that feeds them, maybe not immediately but in decades to come. If too much in this country becomes dictated by pure economics and the social need provision/aspect in transport, education, health etc...starts going totally out the window then the majority of us are going to significantly feel the pain in future years. Savings are indeed needed but they need to be balanced and thought out against a long-term perspective. It's easy to say close this close that - like Garda Stations for instance. But what will the effects be in future years - greatly increased crime will affect us all.

[on the move]

Close garda stations, at a time where crime is more rampant than ever before. Only in Ireland would such things be allowed to happen.

How many murders are there in the state every week?

I take it the rest of the country will be forced into hibernation for the next few lines, with rail and bus routes closed.

The government's solution? The Lisbon Treaty. Apparantly all our ills will be cured, if we bend over for them next October. Despite yesterday's measures that are designed to last at least 5 years.

[PLUMB LOCO]

Originally Posted by on the move

Close garda stations, at a time where crime is more rampant than ever before. Only in Ireland would such things be allowed to happen.

How many murders are there in the state every week?

I take it the rest of the country will be forced into hibernation for the next few lines, with rail and bus routes closed.

The government's solution? The Lisbon Treaty. Apparantly all our ills will be cured, if we bend over for them next October. Despite yesterday's measures that are designed to last at least 5 years.

No - worse still - only in Ireland would such a stupid suggestion be made! What would you expect from a bunch of economists - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing.

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by on the move

Close garda stations, at a time where crime is more rampant than ever before. Only in Ireland would such things be allowed to happen.

Do we want gardaÃ* manning rural stations where nothing happens or actually out patrolling?