Proposed Cork Luas

[zwk500]

Given the budgetary surplus Ireland has enjoyed over the past years, it is really hard to understand why funding could not be found (provided the benefit-cost-ratio is ok of course).

Because there are a lot of things on the shopping list. Its not just about having money to hand, but where it is prioritised.

It's a funny one really as Cork only has 225,000 residents, but when you add in all the visitors and people from surrounding areas as far out as the likes of Tralee, you soon see numbers swell. Traffic in Cork can be bad, so I'd say it could sustain a tram network provided it also caters for some kind of Park and Ride.

I wouldn't include that much wider area in the tram catchment other than by rail heading...

enhanced the rail service to Mallow/Cobh/Middleton

And when (if?) the CACR plans are implemented I'd expect people to railhead on the commuter rail services rather than Cork LUAS

 

[berneyarms]

Given the budgetary surplus Ireland has enjoyed over the past years, it is really hard to understand why funding could not be found (provided the benefit-cost-ratio is ok of course).

We have a very cautious Department of Public Expenditure.

The funding programme for the next five years has already been announced - moving Cork LUAS up the list will mean that something else will presumably be moved off it.

 

[craigybagel]

Given the budgetary surplus Ireland has enjoyed over the past years, it is really hard to understand why funding could not be found (provided the benefit-cost-ratio is ok of course).

Because there are a lot of things on the shopping list. Its not just about having money to hand, but where it is prioritised.


I wouldn't include that much wider area in the tram catchment other than by rail heading...

And when (if?) the CACR plans are implemented I'd expect people to railhead on the commuter rail services rather than Cork LUAS

We have a very cautious Department of Public Expenditure.

It's not that long since the country pretty much bankrupted itself. It's doing well, but there's a housing crisis that needs dealing with - along with all the other big expensive things that need investment like healthcare and education.

The funding programme for the next five years has already been announced - moving Cork LUAS up the list will mean that something else will presumably be moved off it.

Cue lots of shouting from the Healy-Rae's et al about how their county has been shafted. Are there any by elections due? There won't be any dropped schemes there.

 

[Austriantrain]

It's not that long since the country pretty much bankrupted itself. It's doing well, but there's a housing crisis that needs dealing with - along with all the other big expensive things that need investment like healthcare and education.

Oh the excuses that anglo-saxon countries have to never invest in Infrastructure even if money is flowing in through the windows. For what it is worth: *every* developed country has these issues and most still invest in transport infrastructure even though they are definitely not in the same budgetary situation as Ireland.

I know it sounds harsh- the fact ist, I really have a very big soft spot in my heart for the UK and Ireland, but this is a thing I will never, ever understand (I know, mentality and so on, and it doesn‘t change my respect, just that occasionaly I apparently need to shake my head publicly).

Sorry for this, anyway…

 

[berneyarms]

It's not that long since the country pretty much bankrupted itself. It's doing well, but there's a housing crisis that needs dealing with - along with all the other big expensive things that need investment like healthcare and education.

Cue lots of shouting from the Healy-Rae's et al about how their county has been shafted. Are there any by elections due? There won't be any dropped schemes there.

Two by-elections to be held before May (Dublin Central & Galway West).

The Healy-Raes are safe LOL.

 

[nwales58]

Oh the excuses that anglo-saxon countries have to never invest in Infrastructure even if money is flowing in through the windows. [snip] but this is a thing I will never, ever understand (I know, mentality and so on

It guarantees us employment on multi-national teams doing appraisal work, is an off-beat way of looking at it. Although the frugal dutch, swedes, finns have a similar hard grounding in social benefit/cost, financial and environment analysis, we're the ones who think 'is it really worth it' at every step because that's what it's like back at home.

The Tanger thread made me think. If it had been Britain, in 2000 we would have assessed the 2010 opening demand, planned its timetable, and added some possible growth to 2025 then probably built 3x200m platforms with a bit of room for expansion. Spanish consultants can do it much faster: 8 trains per day means 8x400m platforms at the terminus.

The Irish might be unhappy at sharing a mentality with us after a century of independence, though.

 

[Austriantrain]

It guarantees us employment on multi-national teams doing appraisal work, is an off-beat way of looking at it. Although the frugal dutch, swedes, finns have a similar hard grounding in social benefit/cost, financial and environment analysis, we're the ones who think 'is it really worth it' at every step because that's what it's like back at home.

The Tanger thread made me think. If it had been Britain, in 2000 we would have assessed the 2010 opening demand, planned its timetable, and added some possible growth to 2025 then probably built 3x200m platforms with a bit of room for expansion. Spanish consultants can do it much faster: 8 trains per day means 8x400m platforms at the terminus.

The Irish might be unhappy at sharing a mentality with us after a century of independence, though.

Probably my lack of English, but I don’t get your point. Nothing against hard-nosed appraisals - we could learn more than a thing or two from you on this - but when money flows out of your ears and you pretend not being able to afford a light-rail in your second city even though every analysis shows it is worthwhile and very much needed is… a bit strange. But maybe less to do with the anglo-saxon mentality after all and rather with deep-seated Irish experiences of penury over centuries.