Dublin Coach Service from Limerick

myshirt

These guys are a serious operator now, running an extremely reliable and flexible service. I use them all the time.

Two points:

1. Why in god's name are they restricted on 7am-10am time slots by whomever the powers may be (the council? irish transport?). I know the idea is protectionism of the rail service, it's as clear as day, but let's step back and think about this, these boys had too sweet a deal in Irish rail for too long. It is a bullsh!t situation to say that if Dublin coach take them out then Irish rail can have the paw out for more money to fill the hole. The fact is, if Irish rail are not up to the job, they need to get the hell out of there. Too many guys leaving Irish rail with tasty lump sums and pensions for piss poor performance. Real tasty. The service can't afford it. Cut those back and get some competent people in there and maybe it could compete.

At the moment, commuters in Limerick and from Ennis are getting kicked in the stones at these peak times. Too many times I paid 70-80 quid to go to Dublin. Operators like Dublin coach at a 20 euro return for a family of four have rattled the market. A real beacon of decency against a backdrop of scumbags charging 80 quid a man to Dublin.

2. I notice that Dublin coach are doing the tax saver tickets from Limerick to Dublin. Christ on a bicycle, is there anyone taking this up? I wouldn't fancy going up and down each day to Dublin, even if it is a fantastic service. Is there anyone here doing that?


EDIT: Actually, it's been in the news http://www.clarechampion.ie/disgraceful-restrictions-on-limerick-bus-service/

zulutango

What makes you think that their reasons for not operating between 10pm and 7am are down to Irish Rail? Maybe there just isn't a market for it?

myshirt

The bus driver told me they had a restricted timetable imposed on them. He did not know why, we didn't discuss any further. But if you've any brain I think you'd know it is to protect the rail service; political pressure, undoubtedly. This city is unreal on that front. Everywhere in the world is 'not what you know, who you know' to an extent, but just something quite different in Limerick.

zulutango

myshirt wrote: »

The bus driver told me they had a restricted timetable imposed on them. He did not know why, we didn't discuss any further. But if you've any brain I think you'd know it is to protect the rail service; political pressure, undoubtedly. This city is unreal on that front. Everywhere in the world is 'not what you know, who you know' to an extent, but just something quite different in Limerick.

The bus driver might be right but it's not as clear as you make it out to be that there's political interference here. Why would Dublin Coach run a service throughout the night if there wasn't a market for that service?

myshirt

zulutango wrote: »

The bus driver might be right but it's not as clear as you make it out to be that there's political interference here. Why would Dublin Coach run a service throughout the night if there wasn't a market for that service?

I said 7am to 10am.

zulutango

myshirt wrote:

I said 7am to 10am.

I've often got it between those hours ...

end of the road

myshirt wrote: »

These guys are a serious operator now, running an extremely reliable and flexible service. I use them all the time.

Two points:

1. Why in god's name are they restricted on 7am-10am time slots by whomever the powers may be (the council? irish transport?). I know the idea is protectionism of the rail service, it's as clear as day, but let's step back and think about this, these boys had too sweet a deal in Irish rail for too long. It is a bullsh!t situation to say that if Dublin coach take them out then Irish rail can have the paw out for more money to fill the hole. The fact is, if Irish rail are not up to the job, they need to get the hell out of there. Too many guys leaving Irish rail with tasty lump sums and pensions for piss poor performance. Real tasty. The service can't afford it. Cut those back and get some competent people in there and maybe it could compete.

At the moment, commuters in Limerick and from Ennis are getting kicked in the stones at these peak times. Too many times I paid 70-80 quid to go to Dublin. Operators like Dublin coach at a 20 euro return for a family of four have rattled the market. A real beacon of decency against a backdrop of scumbags charging 80 quid a man to Dublin.

2. I notice that Dublin coach are doing the tax saver tickets from Limerick to Dublin. Christ on a bicycle, is there anyone taking this up? I wouldn't fancy going up and down each day to Dublin, even if it is a fantastic service. Is there anyone here doing that?


EDIT: Actually, it's been in the news http://www.clarechampion.ie/disgraceful-restrictions-on-limerick-bus-service/

rail services will always cost more. unfortunate but its the nature of it. ireland's services have their market though and the vast majority are doing fine. irish rail has issues but they can be overcome. great, i'm glad you like dublin coach. very good, and no-one is forceing you to use irish rail. but your little rant is just a bunch of bitter old anti-IE rabel. i'm sorry you didn't get a job in irish rail and your bitter over it but thats your problem. any restrictions on dublin coach are nothing to do with irish rail, and are not because of it. no conspiracy theories here, sorry to disappoint you

myshirt

@End of the Road

Well let these lads stop in Limerick at 7am to 10am then.

Why are commuters being kicked in the stones in favour of protectionism of Irish rail. The high pay, lump sums, and pensions need to stop and Limerick commuters need to be able to get value rather than be held back from it so these boys in IE can pocket the money.

Very strong Limerick issue that is just not be tackled the way it should be.

Berty

As far as I knew the restriction was on stopping between those hours at Athurs Quay only, something to do with the sheer amount of coaches using it.

h3000

Am I missing something? According to the timetable they operate in those times.

end of the road

myshirt wrote: »

@End of the Road

Well let these lads stop in Limerick at 7am to 10am then.

Why are commuters being kicked in the stones in favour of protectionism of Irish rail. The high pay, lump sums, and pensions need to stop and Limerick commuters need to be able to get value rather than be held back from it so these boys in IE can pocket the money.

Very strong Limerick issue that is just not be tackled the way it should be.

there is no protectionism of irish rail. if there was then places like cork, wexford and waterford wouldn't have the large amount of bus services they do. many people private and public get a lump sum if they are being made redundant, many will get a pension depending what job they are in. the high pay is for management, the drivers for example get market value pay for the particular job. get over it. your conspiracy theories are just that. conspiracy theories.

highlydebased

They do stop at Arthurs Quay those times but you just can't get off if you came from Ennis

damoth

Another article on this here: http://www.clarechampion.ie/restricted-timetable-on-limerick-set-down/

The following text is taken from that article:

“... following enquiries I received a response from the National Transport Authority telling me that Dublin Coach is not allowed to compete with the train at those times.
Their response said: The restrictions apply to mitigate the negative impact that the proposed additional services would have in the vitality of existing services provided by Iarnród Éireann.”

end of the road

Berty wrote: »

As far as I knew the restriction was on stopping between those hours at Athurs Quay only, something to do with the sheer amount of coaches using it.

damoth wrote: »

Another article on this here: http://www.clarechampion.ie/restricted-timetable-on-limerick-set-down/

The following text is taken from that article:

“... following enquiries I received a response from the National Transport Authority telling me that Dublin Coach is not allowed to compete with the train at those times.
Their response said: The restrictions apply to mitigate the negative impact that the proposed additional services would have in the vitality of existing services provided by Iarnród Éireann.”

sorry, but i don't buy it. as i said, places like waterford wexford and others have busses leaving around the same times as the train and a hell of a lot more bus services. maybe the NTA will eventually change that for these places and timetable the busses differently in the future but i don't think so. i'd suggest the demand just isn't there.

SNNUS

Can they force you not to get off?? I used this service return to Dublin from Bunratty this week and It Is very good. Also these coaches now have toilets on them too.

myshirt

end of the road wrote: »

there is no protectionism of irish rail. if there was then places like cork, wexford and waterford wouldn't have the large amount of bus services they do. many people private and public get a lump sum if they are being made redundant, many will get a pension depending what job they are in. the high pay is for management, the drivers for example get market value pay for the particular job. get over it. your conspiracy theories are just that. conspiracy theories.

It is protectionism. Do you not remember the times where you had to pay 80 quid a man return to Dublin. The motorway came along then and crowds like Dublin Bus softened their cough and put it up to them; all of a sudden the prices dropped from Irish Rail.

My friend, they were nailing Limerick commuters for years; and now that we have a beacon of decency for Limerick commuters, some political influence is trying to stop the halt as Irish Rail can't take the pressure in Limerick. It is a concept known in the trade as 'strategic drift'.

myshirt

Is anyone using the Dublin Coach taxsaver ticket service? Surely if they are selling them then there is. I wouldn't fancy it myself. It was only that I was reading the leaflet in the jacks that I noticed; meant to ask the bus driver did he have any of those customers but he was helping a few ladies with their bags when I was alighting at the Arthurs Quay stop.

20e return for a family of four to Dublin; bang in the city centre; you can't bate that for value.

end of the road

myshirt wrote: »

It is protectionism. Do you not remember the times where you had to pay 80 quid a man return to Dublin. The motorway came along then and crowds like Dublin Bus softened their cough and put it up to them; all of a sudden the prices dropped from Irish Rail.

My friend, they were nailing Limerick commuters for years; and now that we have a beacon of decency for Limerick commuters, some political influence is trying to stop the halt as Irish Rail can't take the pressure in Limerick. It is a concept known in the trade as 'strategic drift'.

there is no protectionism. none. zilch. that is it. no amount of crying about mythical protectionism will make your conspiracy theory exist. any and every company public and private will charge market value on a service. if they are the only ones providing the service, they will charge what the market will bare. there is no political influence stopping dublin coach from operating at any time.

pigtown

From a February Limerick Post article;

A spokeswoman for the NTA told the Limerick Post: “In reaching a decision on an application, we take a number of criteria into consideration, including the demand or potential demand for the service having regard to the needs of consumers, and any existing public passenger services on or in the vicinity of the route.

“We then balance the need to ensure that transport services it has contracted for, and for which public subsidies are paid, are allowed to operate in an efficient and effective manner.

The spokesperson said that the restriction regarding Arthur’s Quay was put in place at the time the licence to extend the service to Ennis was granted.

“It was to protect the contracted rail services. We considered that a potential transfer of passengers from rail to the extended service could have a severe impact on rail services, which could lead to a reduction of rail services in the area or a need for increased subsidy for rail.

She added that commercial operators are able to apply to the Authority for new or amended licences at any time.