Irish Rail and NCPS

Carawaystick

but Iarnróid Éireann don't own the land the car parks are on - CIÉ do. CIÉ don't run any transport services, their main game is property development.

Pineapple stu

MOH wrote: »

Because the car park is theirs? The paid parking is operated by NCPS

Not the car park in question.

BrianD

positron wrote: »

Are you saying an addition of 25%-40% to the in cost of using public transport won't deter some people from using it?

The point is, I would consider parking as an essential service associated with a long distance commuter train service by any half decent government. I am already paying huge money for the ticket. On top of that, since they introduced pay parking, there has been absolutely NO improvements what so ever anyway. So what exactly is that I am paying for? Would you now pay a new health levy if asked to, and be happy to live with the current level of service? Would you pay a new say a 'internet tax' and be happy to continue getting the exact same service what you are getting now anyway?

fh041205 mentioned earlier that since the introduction of paid parking there are free spaces in Drogheda car park well past 9am. I would like to know how many of those who used to park there stopped it because (a) because its too expensive (b) because they lost their job/recession and (c) because its better to drive. I wonder if IrishRail publish the number of people travelling from Drogheda year to year..?

I don't understand why the parking should be free. It makes no sense for any transport firm to provide parking spaces for free while you take the bus or train. I can't see the logic and as you say it's an essental service. The fact that they were free before makes no odds.

At the same time, there should be a greater increase in the availability of parking spaces by having multi-story car parks at these stations. But all parking should be paid for.

I'm guessing that the number of empty spaces is down to the downturn, parking elsewhere or pehaps they walk/cycle or get a bus to the station.

positron

BrianD wrote: »

I don't understand why the parking should be free. It makes no sense for any transport firm to provide parking spaces for free while you take the bus or train. I can't see the logic and as you say it's an essental service. The fact that they were free before makes no odds.

There are many good reasons why parking should be free, the obvious one is that it's a good incentive for the general public to use public transport. We all know the benefits of more people using public transport, so I am not going into it. Making public pay for parking making the public transport option less attractive.

I agree them being free in the past doesn't mean much, but my gripe is what did we got back for paying for it? Zilch! There is not one additional parking space there, there is not a single good thing that has happened since we started paying for it, and in fact a lot of bad things has started happening, including a private company lining their pockets with my money! How would you explain the logic in that? Has this arrangement with NSPC made things more efficient for Irish Rail? If so, where are the benefits from it? Who gets it? There is yet another 10% increase in the cost of my ticket this year.. while everything else (and my salary) is coming down! What is going on?

BrianD wrote: »

At the same time, there should be a greater increase in the availability of parking spaces by having multi-story car parks at these stations. But all parking should be paid for.

I don't see what benefit it is to you or me when paying for parking is not improving anything, rather than helping NCPS.

BrianD wrote: »

I'm guessing that the number of empty spaces is down to the downturn, parking elsewhere or pehaps they walk/cycle or get a bus to the station.

I "guess" also because some people find it cheaper to stop getting the train to try alternate options (BusEireann, Mathews Coaches, own car, motorbike)?

kingshankly

positron wrote: »

fh041205, I am sorry but I can only agree to disagree on that point of non-rail users using IR car park.

On a normal day, the station car park is full to the brink by around 7:30am. I don't think many casual shoppers, or even people who work full-time in Drogheda will ever get in before 7:30am! Now, if that is indeed their original concern, they could have simply sorted that by providing an optional 'parking disk' at a nominal charge to rail ticket holders that is valid for the duration of the ticket (monthly, yearly etc), rather than penalizing every single train user by about €400 a year (on top of the €2000 approx train ticket..). :rolleyes:

digital_d, that sounds terrible. I am lost to understand how IR can just wipe their hands clean by saying its them (NCPS). Such a joke.

cymro, surely you noticed digital_d was complaining not complaining about €4 but about the lack of notice / information from IR? I thought that was obvious..!

Carawaystick, I will look into that - thank you!

I am still a bit curious about what the guy in orange west told me - he said they don't share the security footage with NCPS...! Angle grinder comes to mind.. but of course I wouldn't suggesting anything illegal..!!

the problem in drogheda was car pooling a lot of people came and parked then left in one car.
personally i would have introduced a barrier system that recognises your rail ticket.
ncps do not access the cameras, many members of staff have had their vehicles clamped by mistake,and there has been many a grinder used.
it is now easier to park in drogheda but the recession has also contributed to the empty spaces

positron

In fairness to the IrishRail staff at Drogheda, yesterday they said they will arrange a couple of days free parking for me for the troubles / machine swallowing the money / missing the train. I don't know if I will have a chance to take them up on their offer as I am really thinking of other alternatives, but its really nice of them to offer that. This is the type and level of service (more personable, and reasonable) that one would expect in a small town like Drogheda, not a faceless private company!

Also what is the logic of charging €125 for not paying €2 parking? Its not like the person has blocked a space that has a potential of generating at least €75 a day? Its just all wrong..! I am going to invest in an good angle grinder!

BrianD

positron wrote: »

There are many good reasons why parking should be free, the obvious one is that it's a good incentive for the general public to use public transport. We all know the benefits of more people using public transport, so I am not going into it. Making public pay for parking making the public transport option less attractive.

I agree them being free in the past doesn't mean much, but my gripe is what did we got back for paying for it? Zilch! There is not one additional parking space there, there is not a single good thing that has happened since we started paying for it, and in fact a lot of bad things has started happening, including a private company lining their pockets with my money! How would you explain the logic in that? Has this arrangement with NSPC made things more efficient for Irish Rail? If so, where are the benefits from it? Who gets it? There is yet another 10% increase in the cost of my ticket this year.. while everything else (and my salary) is coming down! What is going on?



I don't see what benefit it is to you or me when paying for parking is not improving anything, rather than helping NCPS.



I "guess" also because some people find it cheaper to stop getting the train to try alternate options (BusEireann, Mathews Coaches, own car, motorbike)?

Well obviously you have issues with NCPS about being clamped. NCPS are very efficient and I saw their handiwork outside Bray DART station last weekend. I've actually taken them on myself and got my money back but it took a couple of stiff letters.

I don't believe that free parking is an incentive to use public transport. I firmly believe that there is no value unless it is charged for. At the moment, €2 is pretty good value for a days parking. If I was told that I could drive to a station and pay €2 to park my car while I was at work, I would regard that as a good deal and an incentive.

While there may be no immediate improvement to facilities (I'm sure that NCPS will argue differently) there will be definitely no improvement if free parking continues to be provided. Where's the incentive to improve something that's provided for free?

Terrontress

positron wrote: »

Also what is the logic of charging €125 for not paying €2 parking? Its not like the person has blocked a space that has a potential of generating at least €75 a day? Its just all wrong..! I am going to invest in an good angle grinder!

It's because it costs money to provide a Transit van with a couple of goons, three steps back on the evolutionary ladder, to go out and check tickets.

That is also the reason why they will clamp for any minor transgression and do all they can to prevent appeals.

It's an extremely inefficient system but don't worry, the cost of managing this inefficient system is ultimately paid for by the commuters of Ireland so NCPS and their crowd of knuckle draggers can continue to persecute commuters.

daheff

digital_d wrote: »

- I just drive into town - so much for making public transport a better option to driving!

(Sorry! bit of a rant!)

once my annual ticket is up i'll be doing likewise...i can park in connolly for 7eur a day...daily return ticket costs about 8(with parking)- means i can be more sure of getting to work or home at a certain time- not all messed up by their constantly late trains! -also means i dont have to deal with these muppets everyday

fh041205

mandz wrote: »

The point I was trying to say is that when I had parked the car that morning (spot where I always parked prior to pay and display) there was nothing there for me to be causing an obstruction to. It had only appeared at some stage during the day after I parked there.

One improvement in Mullingar was they resurfaced the car park which was badly needed.

I wasn't referring to you mandz. Apologies if it came across like that. I was just saying that the only reason IR would contact NCPS would be if a car was blocking fire services or deliveries and the like. They wouldn't check the cars for tickets or anything like that.

Kaylee

I was also clamped for not displaying my ticket, it had blown down onto the floor. I sent an appeal, along with the (weekly) ticket to NCPS but they refused to entertain it. I wonder how many appeals to these guys are actually successful?

The machines are a pain in the bum. They are often out of order so that you end up running around the car park trying to find a working one, this happened to me again this morning. Other times they 'don't like' a particular coin and it keeps falling through. The other morning I put in my money (the only money I had on me) and the ticket didn't come out!

I am going to write to NCPS and Iaronrod Eireann to complain, I suggest other people who feel this way do likewise - it's just not good enough.

I use Drogheda train station

fh041205

Interesting point here for Drogheda customers, this morning at 9.20 there were at least 25 car park spaces free. Thats just the ones I saw on the way in. Goes to show you how many people have been driven (probably quite literally!) away from travelling by train. You definately wouldn't have seen that a year ago anyway.

Hungerford

Carawaystick wrote: »

but Iarnróid Éireann don't own the land the car parks are on - CIÉ do. CIÉ don't run any transport services, their main game is property development.

I think you'll find that CIE's primary objective is the provision of public transport services through its three subsidiaries. The whole property development angle came as a result of Fianna Fail and its links with the developers.

BrianD

Kaylee wrote: »

I was also clamped for not displaying my ticket, it had blown down onto the floor. I sent an appeal, along with the (weekly) ticket to NCPS but they refused to entertain it. I wonder how many appeals to these guys are actually successful?

I have successfully appealed an NCPS clamp. If your ticket wasn't visible it is fair grounds for them to clamp but at the same time if you have a valid ticket i.e. the ticket from the machine, you should be able to appeal and get a refund. It's not unreasonable that a ticket might get dislodged from the dash if a gust of air went through the air vents. You should have grounds for appeal if you haven't left it too long.

Kaylee

Hi BrianD

I sent a polite letter explaning exactly what had happened, accompanied by my weekly ticket, and I posted it about two days after the clamping incident in November last year.

I hadn't heard from them by January so I sent a reminder letter, they then sent a letter refusing the appeal point blank.

I've just put it down to experience - still ranckles though *grrrr*

kingshankly

fh041205 wrote: »

Interesting point here for Drogheda customers, this morning at 9.20 there were at least 25 car park spaces free. Thats just the ones I saw on the way in. Goes to show you how many people have been driven (probably quite literally!) away from travelling by train. You definately wouldn't have seen that a year ago anyway.

It is holiday season at the moment, but your right there is a big difference in the last year but this is probably down to unemployment rather than being driven away.
There will be a new car park for Drogheda soon on the marsh road( the old timber yard) with access to the station by stairs.