Cork - Light Rail [route options idenfication and initial design underway]

niloc1951

Rulmeq wrote: »

Except in Ireland, where you will be accused or "ripping up the green line" when you try and plan for future upgrades.

I don't understand the point. There are many cities still using routes which were laid down over 100 years ago. What do you mean by upgrades, is it something different from maintenance and replacement of worn components by current technology.

donvito99

niloc1951 wrote: »

I don't understand the point. There are many cities still using routes which were laid down over 100 years ago. What do you mean by upgrades, is it something different from maintenance and replacement of worn components by current technology.

Upgrades meaning modifying the line (platforms, crossings, depots, etc) to accommodate larger rolling stock that can run at a high frequency because the Luas has only gone 16 years and is at capacity.

marno21

https://www.echolive.ie/corknews/First-step-to-be-taken-on-200m-plan-to-improve-Corks-bus-service-3b08c640-9ad9-43cf-8ffc-bcd395771ca8-ds

NTA confirms procurement process for consultants for the light rail corridor started earlier this month.

marno21

Jacobs appointed to identify route options and initial designs.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/munster/arid-40028948.html

snotboogie

marno21 wrote: »

Jacobs appointed to identify route options and initial designs.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/munster/arid-40028948.html

NTA chief executive, Anne Graham, said when the NTA met with the elected members of Cork City Council in recent weeks, it was clear that there was overwhelming support for the measures contained in CMATS.

“It was also clear to us that if the strategy is to remain a credible document in the eyes of people in Cork, it is essential that progress is made on the delivery of the key elements, sooner rather than later,” she said.

“That is why today’s announcement is significant, and we believe that it is a clear signal that implementation of the Strategy is now under way.”

Thats the strongest statement on the Cork Luas that i've ever seen from someone with actual clout on the matter.

marno21

snotboogie wrote: »

Thats the strongest statement on the Cork Luas that i've ever seen from someone with actual clout on the matter.

The NTA now report to a pro-rail Minister for Transport of the Green Party, which is even more beneficial

Better than the last 4 years of the Shane Ross clownshow.

Curb Your Enthusiasm

This is good progress. Fingers crossed.

markodaly

There seems to be a lot of goodwill at the moment and if the money is there, it can be done, but I imagine there real issue will be the planning permission as there will be resident and local opposition to some sections of the road.
That as always is the biggest hurdle.

snotboogie

Dan Boyle throwing some water over our expectations:

https://twitter.com/sendboyle/status/1291755046481403909?s=19

AngryLips

marno21 wrote: »

The NTA now report to a pro-rail Minister for Transport of the Green Party, which is even more beneficial

Better than the last 4 years of the Shane Ross clownshow.

Pro-rail but anti-results IMO

whisky_galore

snotboogie wrote: »

Thats the strongest statement on the Cork Luas that i've ever seen from someone with actual clout on the matter.

I wish people would stop calling it that.
It's as daft as saying a Cork "Dublin Bus" service.

AngryLips

whisky_galore wrote: »

I wish people would stop calling it that.
It's as daft as saying a Cork "Dublin Bus" service.

But why can't it be called that? I think it's more likely it'll have the same name than a totally different name given the NTA's fondness for uniformity of branding.

Zebra3

Luas has a strong brand.

No reason why the brand should be restricted to one urban area.

Cookiemunster

Zebra3 wrote: »

Luas has a strong brand.

No reason why the brand should be restricted to one urban area.

Nothing official refers to it as anything other than Cork light rail. It won't be Luas.

Cookiemunster

AngryLips wrote: »

But why can't it be called that? I think it's more likely it'll have the same name than a totally different name given the NTA's fondness for uniformity of branding.

So why isn't Dublin Bus rebranded as Bus Eireann then?

Pete_Cavan

Cookiemunster wrote: »

Nothing official refers to it as anything other than Cork light rail. It won't be Luas.

Things change, last week DART+ was DART Expansion. Most people will probably refer to a light rail service in Cork as Luas anyway, it's already happening!

end of the road

Cookiemunster wrote: »

So why isn't Dublin Bus rebranded as Bus Eireann then?

because it's not.


when CIE was split up it was felt dublin should have it's own bus operation given it is the capital.
however given light rail will exist in small amounts even with cork whenever it is built, if it actually is, then it makes sense to operate it under 1 brand. the likely hood is cork light rail will be the exact same anyway, a tram system so may as well share backroom resources where possible such as branding, marketing, customer service etc.

AngryLips

Cookiemunster wrote: »

So why isn't Dublin Bus rebranded as Bus Eireann then?

You're right, they should just un-brand everything ...brand all bus services as 'bus'

Cookiemunster

AngryLips wrote: »

You're right, they should just un-brand everything ...brand all bus services as 'bus'

Way to go completely misinterpreting my point. You said thaf the NTA like common branding. That's obviously not true when you have two different national bus companies with different branding (three if you include Expressway) and GoAhead operating routes in Dublin.

Just because Luas is a successful brand name in Dublin, it certainly does not mean that the Cork Tram will be called Luas.

Zebra3

Cookiemunster wrote: »

Just because Luas is a successful brand name in Dublin, it certainly does not mean that the Cork Tram will be called Luas.

Correct.

And the decision should be made as locally as possible.

But fair play if they come up with a better brand name.

CatInABox

Cookiemunster wrote: »

Way to go completely misinterpreting my point. You said thaf the NTA like common branding. That's obviously not true when you have two different national bus companies with different branding (three if you include Expressway) and GoAhead operating routes in Dublin.

Just because Luas is a successful brand name in Dublin, it certainly does not mean that the Cork Tram will be called Luas.

They're currently in the process of unifying the GoAhead and Dublin Bus liveries, so that people won't be able to tell the difference between them, other than a small sign next to the door.

The recently launched Kilkenny local bus service has the exact same TFI branding that they've launched in Dublin. The NTA are only ten or eleven years old, and it's only now that they're getting around to unifying the branding on all these.

They're also planning to update the liveries for BusEireann as well, I don't know if they'll make them the same as the Dublin Bus/Go Ahead liveries, but I'd imagine that they see a difference between city and intercity bus services.

I'd be shocked if they didn't go with the Luas branding, to be honest. I'd be even more shocked if it isn't an almost exact replica of the existing Luas, with the same trams, systems, signs, etc. It works and is well liked now, why change it?

Sam Russell

The Cork wags will be proposing the 'Cork Area Rapid Transit' but Luas it will be. Who wants to go by CART when they can go by Luas?

It is a strong brand. It is a successful and well liked brand. It is easy to replicate around Ireland.

Why change a winning formula. I am sure Cork people will understand that.

AngryLips

I don't really care what they call it,but in Germany for example there are u-bahns in most cities.

end of the road

Cookiemunster wrote: »

Way to go completely misinterpreting my point. You said thaf the NTA like common branding. That's obviously not true when you have two different national bus companies with different branding (three if you include Expressway) and GoAhead operating routes in Dublin.

accept it is true, the NTA are heading for common liveries across the various subsidized bus operations.
the existing bus brands existed long before the NTA were even an idea, bar go ahead's irish operation, so even with common liveries those brands are unlikely to fade from memory so easy.

Cookiemunster wrote: »

Just because Luas is a successful brand name in Dublin, it certainly does not mean that the Cork Tram will be called Luas.

no, however common branding is coming, so it's reasonable to suggest that light rail in cork, which is likely going to be a tram system using the same or similar equipment as the existing luas, will in all likelyhood be put under an existing, successful brand, for which the light rail system in cork will in all likelyhood be referred to anyway, if not by the politicians, certainly by the people on the ground using the service.

Cookiemunster

AngryLips wrote: »

I don't really care what they call it,but in Germany for example there are u-bahns in most cities.

U-bahn and S-bahn aren't brand names. They stand for Untergrundbahn (underground train) and Stadtschnellbahn (fast city train). The different cities have different liveries.

snotboogie

They can call it; Local Area Network Grid Easy Rail for all I care. As long as it actually gets built.

whisky_galore

Zebra3 wrote: »

Luas has a strong brand.

No reason why the brand should be restricted to one urban area.

It's a stupid as a Frankfurt "Luas" or a Manchester "Luas". Call them all "Luas" because we can't imagine anything existing outside of Dublin.

Zebra3

whisky_galore wrote: »

It's a stupid as a Frankfurt "Luas" or a Manchester "Luas". Call them all "Luas" because we can't imagine anything existing outside of Dublin.

Stupid indeed.....

Acosta

The whole ''Cork Luas'' thing is coming from The Echo right? Because obviously people are too thick to know what a light rail system is and must be reminded that it's the same as the thing in Dublin.

Whatever it's called I hope it does happen as it's badly needed and would be great for Cork. I just hope a load of money isn't spent on Engineers and planning only for it to be shelved.

Pete_Cavan

whisky_galore wrote: »

It's a stupid as a Frankfurt "Luas" or a Manchester "Luas". Call them all "Luas" because we can't imagine anything existing outside of Dublin.

The word luas has no links to Dublin so I don't see what the issue is. Once the system is applied beyond Dublin, the association with Dublin will quickly fade. Personally, I like the name, it is short, simple and became part of the vocabulary very quickly, that's good marketing. I like that it is an Irish word. I think not calling the same system in Cork Luas just because the first Luas lines were in Dublin would be very petty.