Waterford to get Rapid Transit

[alonso]

A SLEEK new streetcar was unveiled by Bus Eireann yesterday.

The 12-metre long 'bus tram', which runs on an electric/bio-fuel hybrid engine, is to be introduced to cities across the country in the coming months.

Bus Eireann unveiled the new BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) system in Waterford where the company hopes to pilot the new streetcar.

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/ ... e_id=15272

At first glance I thought this was gonna form part of a city wide Bus Rapid transit network where dedicated busways would be built on existing streets, with full priority given to the public transport element. But so far it seems that they are just buying some of these buses as a trial. I'd be interested to hear more about this. A map, a real plan for example, but ther site only has a spiel which includes "Bus Éireann has also revealed it is currently examining the potential for the introduction of ‘BRT’ (Bus Rapid Transit), a system of “bus trams” or streetcars popular in the US, Canada and in a growing number of European cities". It;s still very much at the conceptual stage, which begs the question; why the press release? But then you rememeber who the Minister is. There'll be at least a dozen photo ops if Cullen remains in LH before a single tram operates

http://www.buseireann.ie/site/news_cent ... ews_id=523

All sounds good and positive. Why Waterford? Well I certainly ain't gonna open that particular can of worms again. Suffice to say the Greens were lambasted recently for suggesting LUAS/trams/rapid transit for Galway and Cork, yet Bus Eireann have been planning one for Waterford all along. Although this system will be nothing like LUAS, and more suited to small cities, where the potential for crippling congestion isn't as high, it's still odd for Waterford to get first shot at it... It's unlikely that they've been looking at similar systems for Cork, Galway, Limerick, Drogheda etc etc have they?

[White Horse]

All sounds good and positive. Why Waterford?

That and protion to the premier league in the same day. They must have good friends.

[MikeW]

I know where you're going with this alonso, and you may even be right. Having said that, I would have thought that Waterford would have been about the right size for a pilot like this. Possibly a case of expediancy meeting political advantage.

And without getting into the row again, Cities like Waterford (and as far as I know, Cork et al) are currently using the buses that Dublin has removed from service due to age.

[Respvblica]

All sounds good and positive. Why Waterford?

That and protion to the premier league in the same day. They must have good friends.

Like a certain minister for transport who happens to come from Waterford?

[Van]

And a certain Mr John Delaney!!

[culbair]

The Waterford electorate seeks:
(1) A University.
(2) A fair share out of industry.
(3) A proper resolution of the Radiotherapy issue.
(4) An increased allocation of Local Authority Housing.
(5) Greater resources to tackle crime.

[factual]

I look forward to the acronym for the Waterford Area Rapid Transit.

[middleman]

Well just as expected........here come the announcements b4 election

Brace yourselves for many more of these "promotional" announcements by all Ministers in their Constituencies prior to May...

seems Clientelism is alive and well Lord Help Us..

remember the Luas Tram Seamus Brennan put on tracks in the middle of a Dublin Street on his media day???
a few years later well over budget and unfinished Luas hit the streets

Arent we a Gullible Nation??

[Bobb]

Calling buses "bus-trams" is dressing mutton up as lamb. It's the sort of thing employers do with job titles instead of giving wage rises, smoke and mirrors stuff