Govt promises integrated ticketing by Sept '09

[alonso]

The most senior official at the Department of Transport has said an integrated ticketing system for public transport is being developed as quickly as possible.

Secretary-General Julie O'Neil has said she is personally monitoring progress and said the system will be in place by September of next year.

The budget has been set at €50m - however it was originally capped at €30m in 2002.

Conor Faughnan from the AA has said Ireland's ambitions for integrated ticketing are in "a shambles".

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mheyqlcwojau/

8 years on from the original decision. This has to go down as one of the great Fianna Fail fiascos of the past decade. What a bloody joke. Even if we were starting now how can it still take almost another 2 years to do it. What is so damn complicated about this and why is it costing so much money to develop? The technology is simple, the fare scheme should be simple, and if the only obstacle has been the prehistoric make up of our multiple agencies surely this has been overcome if this statement is to be believed.

[Auditor #9]

8 years on from the original decision. This has to go down as one of the great Fianna Fail fiascos of the past decade. What a bloody joke. Even if we were starting now how can it still take almost another 2 years to do it. What is so damn complicated about this and why is it costing so much money to develop? The technology is simple, the fare scheme should be simple, and if the only obstacle has been the prehistoric make up of our multiple agencies surely this has been overcome if this statement is to be believed.

Who is set to lose how much after this gets realized? (if it gets realized)

[alonso]

I honestly have no idea. i'm sure all will tell you that they're losing out. Hopefully it will all be administered by the DTA when it gets going. It's time for the entrenched nature of the different agencies to be torn down. It'll be an interesting few years for transport in Dublin that;s for sure.

[drbob1972]

personally i don't believe it will happen in that time frame given their track record, however one can live in hope i guess

to be honest i don't think there is a real understanding of public transport and what Ireland and specifically the GDA needs within the DOT and the various semi state bodies, they have a long track record of failing to deliver either on time or in budget, there is a need for a transport czar particularly for the GDA, however tht person needs to come from outside of the existing groupings and ideally has a track record in delivering same in a major european city

[jayblue]

ah yeah we should have then, like Sept 3009 is far enough for all the glicks to be erased

[CookieMonster]

I will be fantastic when (if) it's up and running.
but I don't for a second believe that it will be in place fully by Sept 09.

[Hardball]

Sept '09 NOT ON YOUR NELLY!

Let me check the date is it April 1st already

[mecoil]

2009 is for luas and rail.

2010 is listed as the target for bus rail and luas. Which means we wait a year longer! If ever.....

Source http://www.informer.ie/article007.ht...ash=700a20e76b[/quote]

[Auditor #9]

So what will it be? One ticket to rule them all one ticket to bind them...

Shag it we could be a lot more inventive with these things - can mobile phone credit be used at all as legal tender? Will there be a ticket you can buy and top up and use on Dort, Dublin Bus and Lewis? Or more? Or will it be a disposable ticket or both? How will it work? Where will it work? How much will it cost?

Shag it lads use yer imaginations, there's 50 million eurons going a begging.

[corkman2007]

Anybody know anything about the company designing the integrated ticketing system?

They're called Sequoia Smart Solutions:

Sequoia is currently the principal design contractor for Ireland’s national Smartcard Integrated Ticketing Scheme; part of the government’s “Transport 21” initiative.

Sequoia People
Sequoia’s people have extensive hands-on experience and background in the world-wide AFC industry, underscored by the fact that, individually or collectively, they have been instrumental in the tender and/or development of many of the major AFC systems implemented globally since the mid-nineties; including Berlin, Denmark, Hong Kong, Perth, Rome, San Francisco, Seattle, Singapore, Sydney.

This combination of skills and experience is exceptional in the AFC industry and represents in excess of 100 man-years of contemporary experience in successful AFC projects worldwide.

News: New Alliance
Sequoia is pleased to announce the establishment of a new alliance with The ALCO Group in the UK. ALCO is an established and respected consulting company, with many clients in the transport sector. There are many synergies between our two companies and we provide complimentary services to our customers throughout the UK. The Sequoia team is looking forward to working with ALCO on a number of exciting projects through 2007.

http://www.sequoiasmarts.com/Seq-CP.htm