Friday, February 28, 2014

RTE's Prime Time has little to say on the railway

RTE's Prime Time last evening featured a report on the future of the railway in Ireland.

The programme included interviews with Irish Rail spokesman Barry Kenny and Transport Tourism and Sport Minister Leo Varadkar.

Did it give an accurate picture to the viewer?

Not a question asked about the purchase of the current rolling stock. Nor on changes that were made on the Mark lV coaches. How many new rail cars are lying idle. Was it not possible to sell the old Mark lll coaches? Have the GM locos been the right buy?

Not a word about how necessary is the new double track into Heuston. How often does the new track necessitate the passing of trains on the section?

How much money has Irish Rail spent on bus transfers between Tralee and Mallow?

In the interview with Leo Varadkar the word environment was not once mentioned. It seemed the minister was not at all interested in carbon emissions.

How many passengers travel per day between Ballybrophy and Limerick, between Limerick Junction and Waterford?


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