Regional public transport

[Christel]

Does anyone know what that is? Could be? Should be?

Example: For a hospital appointment 50 km from here I had to be driven appr. 10 km to get one of Buseireann's vehicles. I had to ask the butcher in the village to find out where the bus stop is. As it was too late in the day I had to pay one way (which I think is same amount as return), because the appointment was at 3.30pm, and there was no bus I could take for return journey. So my husband had to drive the 50 kms to and from the hospital to collect me there in the evening.

I feel the bus routes by Bus Eireann are ages old and don't fit today's circumstances. I also think it is time that true regional public transport is provided in this country, i.e. in the counties, to connect people there without the need of cars, and also connected in a way that it is possible to drive from North West to South or Southwest by bus without having to go by bus or train to Dublin first, or otherwise have some overnight stays in between.

[mmrebel]

ya and the greens will tax you more if you use your car .................. i understand where your coming from though had a relative recently with cancer and lived 20km from the hospital i drove him most days cause the public transport is literally not there

[GreenScene]

ya and the greens will tax you more if you use your car.

Haven't you got a clue about how much CO2 a car produces?. People will have to pay for the CO2 that they produce. Driving is a privilege that people will have to pay dearly for if Climate Change is to be averted.

[Swingingdoor]

Regional public transport. It's starting to happen. Arn't they sacking bus workers in dublin.

[riven]

Does anyone know what that is? Could be? Should be?

Example: For a hospital appointment 50 km from here I had to be driven appr. 10 km to get one of Buseireann's vehicles. I had to ask the butcher in the village to find out where the bus stop is. As it was too late in the day I had to pay one way (which I think is same amount as return), because the appointment was at 3.30pm, and there was no bus I could take for return journey. So my husband had to drive the 50 kms to and from the hospital to collect me there in the evening.

I feel the bus routes by Bus Eireann are ages old and don't fit today's circumstances. I also think it is time that true regional public transport is provided in this country, i.e. in the counties, to connect people there without the need of cars, and also connected in a way that it is possible to drive from North West to South or Southwest by bus without having to go by bus or train to Dublin first, or otherwise have some overnight stays in between.

Compare this to the Dutch system and you really begin to see the flaws in Irelands non existant public transit system. In the 80's the Dutch tried to privatise the public rail system and bring in competition but when it did not work, they reacted on the basis that the system was too important to lose.

In Ireland we are not even interested in having such a system.

[Pauli]

Haven't you got a clue about how much CO2 a car produces?. People will have to pay for the CO2 that they produce. Driving is a privilege that people will have to pay dearly for if Climate Change is to be averted.

I drive everywhere. I love driving everywhere. I especially like driving Hiace vans full of crap like old mattresses, carpets, bollocksed furniture, tyres and a shopping trolley or two to areas of outstanding natural beauty in Co. Wicklow and dumping it there. Driving is a necessity because I can't get all that stuff on a bus.

[greengoose]

Compare this to the Dutch system and you really begin to see the flaws in Irelands non existant public transit system. In the 80's the Dutch tried to privatise the public rail system and bring in competition but when it did not work, they reacted on the basis that the system was too important to lose.

In Ireland we are not even interested in having such a system.

In Ireland we do not have systems of any shape or form. We run around like headless chickens, wringing our hands and relying on incompetent government who can't even read the dummy board. The claim, from their ivory towers, to be making hard decisions while the economy is off to Hell in a handcart.

The ideal would be not to get sick, live beside a hospital if you do and continue voting FF/Green.

[Christel]

ya and the greens will tax you more if you use your car .................. i understand where your coming from though had a relative recently with cancer and lived 20km from the hospital i drove him most days cause the public transport is literally not there

I sincerely hope your relative's treatment was successful.

Myself was only to the hospital for a hearing test, which is something not life threatening. I just thought it was a good example to mention.

Re access to hospitals: I don't know how this will work out with the "centres of excellence" planned. Will they go ahead? What a stupid name. People do need decent treatment regionally, not a few "centres of excellence" in the country.

But I think the lack of regional public transport also leads to disfunct regional communities and economies,and does not lead to country towns being able to develop their potential.
The current transit bus system just cuts through counties, it doesn't support them.

In rural counties, much claimed for their traditional "dispersed settlement character" by the likes of IRDI and Seamous Caulfield, small rural communities have long lost their functions. People have to commute to work outside these communities. Services have to be accessed outside of these, as are cultural and social occasions and events. And not to forget: workplaces.

It is clear to me that towns, which do provide these functions, can only thrive and also provide additional, more heartily funtions that towns can have - if they can be accessed. By all. And without cars. For this regional public transport is needed.

Otherwise you have the situation that people only see towns, and i.e. the outskirts of towns shopping centres, as something to be accessed by car for work and cheap shopping. The centres of towns get emptier and emptier. There is no life in them.

Instead of a chamber of commerce having to think about introducing shuttle busses to bring people in from the supermarket car parks, and providing free car parking in the town to attract customers, town centres should be car free, thus be relaxing and having space and car freedom for other exciting activities.

Country towns can offer loads of other things, but only if people can feel at ease to access them. Anytime. Without cars.

Only then can they be "strenthened". As can other places and enterprises in counties, that need and deserve visitors.

Because he same goes vice versa for town people to access the country side and the smaller towns and villages. And for tourists.

Why is it necessary that Waterways Ireland would have to spend a few million to dredge 3.5 km of the Shannon north of Lough Allen, which is still in natural condition, to provide a berth for 16 cruisers, where it is doubtful if they will ever come? (Hope this project is scrapped in the current saving discussions.It was refused by An Boeard Pleanala first time round, but Waterways Ireland says it is still on their plans.)

Having a decent regional public transport system, tourists and others could access the area in far greater numbers by bus, and locals could access other areas of their county without the need of a car.

[BodyofEvidence]

the greens will tax you to drive and FF will not put the infrastructure in place to not allow you drive. so, whydya vote for them, 44% of ya...?