# Suggestions for improving public transport in Ireland.



## shnaek (27 Nov 2009)

Here's my own two cents worth. 

I'd like to suggest a ZONE system on busses in Dublin city, so you can hop from bus to bus on the one ticket within a certain timeframe to get to your destination. This system operates in most European cities. In every other city your fee should allow you hop on busses going in the one direction in a certain timeframe. The cities outside Dublin are too small for a ZONE system, so they should simply be considered a single ZONE.

Any opinions or other suggestions on how we can improve the current system?


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## roro123 (27 Nov 2009)

You're in the wrong country dude. Good Ideas like that are for properly run countries. Remember we only exist to serve the special interests, ain't nothing gonna change that......


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## z107 (27 Nov 2009)

Well about 100 years ago Ireland used to have train lines all around the country. I could walk to the local train station and get a train to Dublin. Dublin used to have trams.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dublin_tramways


> At its peak, with over 60 miles (97 km) of active line, the system was heavily-used, profitable and advanced in technology and passenger facilities, with near-full electrification complete from 1901. Heavy usage lasted from the late 1800s into the 1920s



To put this in context, the total length of the (unconnected) Luas is 15 miles.

Unfortunately, it was decided that all this infrastructure should be torn up.


I would have to agree with roro123 - you're in the wrong country.


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## corkgal (28 Nov 2009)

As I submitted to the Dublin transport people when they were doing their plan...

Make the city pedestrian focused. If you did not have to wait for the little green man you would be across the city in half the time, cutting out the need for some public transport and cars. Why not?


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## gipimann (28 Nov 2009)

I thought Dublin Bus had a sort of Zone scheme once - ticket 90 or something?  It did exactly what shnaek described, you could change buses on a single ticket as long as the 2nd journey began within 90 mins of the first one.

Not advertised on their site so obviously not active any more!


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## S.L.F (28 Nov 2009)

umop3p!sdn said:


> Unfortunately, it was decided that all this infrastructure should be torn up.


 
Just to remind everyone it was a FF govt that decided to tear it all up.

Todd Andrews I believe was the man concerned

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Andrews

There used to be a rail line that ran through to Brewery Road, Leopardstown and it was closed down when the area was being developed with thousands of houses.

Typical FF thinking!!!


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## csirl (30 Nov 2009)

Hire some Japanese engineers, Chinese builders and Swiss operators and give them free hand to do whatever they think is best within a set budget.


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## Graham_07 (30 Nov 2009)

csirl said:


> Hire some Japanese engineers, Chinese builders and Swiss operators and give them free hand to do whatever they think is best within a set budget.


 
Add to that some Italian chefs and French lovers and you're swinging


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## shnaek (30 Nov 2009)

Graham_07 said:


> Add to that some Italian chefs and French lovers and you're swinging



We'd have the best little country in the world


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## The Pool Boy (1 Dec 2009)

shnaek said:


> Add to that some.....French lovers and you're swinging



I'll have to check with the missus first...not sure she'd be up for that.


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## AlastairSC (2 Dec 2009)

shnaek said:


> We'd have the best little country in the world



I heartily agree. If we're so inadequate at proper urban/civic planning (and it looks like that when you see how other countries do it), why not just adopt what we consider to be best practice elsewhere? Just skip the whole wrangling, reinventing the wheel stuff etc. and hand the project over to some experienced operators for a set fee or budget and timescale. Public transport should be a service, not a profit-making activity. Look at where people need to go, and when and link these places up properly. Rant over!!


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## bren1916 (2 Dec 2009)

AlastairSC said:


> I heartily agree. If we're so inadequate at proper urban/civic planning (and it looks like that when you see how other countries do it), why not just adopt what we consider to be best practice elsewhere? Just skip the whole wrangling, reinventing the wheel stuff etc. and hand the project over to some experienced operators for a set fee or budget and timescale. Public transport should be a service, not a profit-making activity. Look at where people need to go, and when and link these places up properly. Rant over!!


 
Tut tut - that'd never do as it would most likely come in under budget, on time and the NRA or other vested interests wouldn't get their slice of the cake!


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## Latrade (2 Dec 2009)

AlastairSC said:


> Look at where people need to go, and when and link these places up properly. Rant over!!


 
Now that's just crazy talk. You go where Dublin Bus or CIE say you can go. it's not their fault that there's a dangerous worm hole in the space-time continuum that means it's impossible for a bus to cross the liffey unless it is specially protected by an X after its number and runs at times inconvienent for everyone so that the worm hole doesn't notice it.


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## Celtwytch (2 Dec 2009)

gipimann said:


> I thought Dublin Bus had a sort of Zone scheme once - ticket 90 or something? It did exactly what shnaek described, you could change buses on a single ticket as long as the 2nd journey began within 90 mins of the first one.
> 
> Not advertised on their site so obviously not active any more!


 
Au contraire - I purchased one not so very long ago.  A very useful ticket this - it can be used on as many bus journeys as you can fit into a 90 minute period.  From the fares & tickets section of the Dublin Bus website:

*10 Journey Travel 90 Adult €18.00*

Valid for 10 journeys of 90 minutes unlimited travel
Valid on Dublin Bus scheduled services including Xpresso (excluding Airlink, Nitelink, Tours, Special Events and Private Contract services)
No CIE photo ID required


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## Purple (2 Dec 2009)

Spend less money on wages and more on infrastructure.


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## delgirl (2 Dec 2009)

Purple said:


> Spend less money on wages and more on infrastructure.


+1

Dublin Bus drivers are the 6th best paid drivers in the world, earning an average of €33,000 per annum and earn about 30% more than their counterparts in London.

This is according to the prices and earnings report published by Swiss bank UBS.


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## bullbars (3 Dec 2009)

Purple said:


> Spend less money on wages and more on infrastructure.


 
Suggestion rejected : 

Reason : Too much common sense involved.


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## Complainer (4 Dec 2009)

bullbars said:


> Suggestion rejected :
> 
> Reason : Too much common sense involved.


Looks like the private sector Luas operators Veolia didn't see too much common sense in cutting salaries;

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1203/luas.html


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## Howitzer (4 Dec 2009)

Complainer said:


> Looks like the private sector Luas operators Veolia didn't see too much common sense in cutting salaries;
> 
> http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1203/luas.html


I guess their business must be profitable so and able to afford the wages?


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## Caveat (4 Dec 2009)

Howitzer said:


> I guess their business must be profitable so and able to afford the wages?


 
Exactly.  

And it's an excellent service IME I might add.


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## Complainer (4 Dec 2009)

Howitzer said:


> I guess their business must be profitable so and able to afford the wages?


Strange how profitability wasn't mentioned in the sarky 'suggestion rejected' comment.


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## Howitzer (4 Dec 2009)

Complainer said:


> Strange how profitability wasn't mentioned in the sarky 'suggestion rejected' comment.


So take it up with the person who made the comment. What do you want me to do, give you a hug?


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## Complainer (4 Dec 2009)

Howitzer said:


> What do you want me to do, give you a hug?


Thanks for the offer, but you're grand thanks.


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## Mpsox (4 Dec 2009)

Integrated ticketing for Dublin is looking like it might actually happen and not because it was in the Green/FF agreement document to do so. The RPA had signed contracts way before the agreement with an IBM consortium to build the system and are in the tendering phase to run it.

Secondly, some bus drivers need some serious retraining, , for example the idiot who had a yellow junction completly blocked up on Saturday evening near Croker, 


I find it strange on my commute into Dublin watching people not getting on the CIE buses but getting on the private coaches instead(JJs buses from Urlingford for example). I can only presume they believe they get better value for money by not using CIE. Privitisation was a disaster in some towns in the UK(eg Oxford), but some managed element of competition is needed in areas like Dublin. If Dublin bus are not servicing an area and some other company believes they can, then why not let them?

lastly, transfer some of the funding for Dublin bus to rural buses so that there are more buses in rural areas, not less, people can walk in the cities on those things called footpaths


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## Caveat (4 Dec 2009)

Mpsox said:


> I find it strange on my commute into Dublin watching people not getting on the CIE buses but getting on the private coaches instead(JJs buses from Urlingford for example). I can only presume they believe they get better value for money by not using CIE.


 
Very much so IME. More modern, comfortable buses and running more frequently too.


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