November 26, 2002
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Public transport in Ireland improving?
Improving? Well, that is what I gathered from the news today about plans for our national trains and Dublin buses.
Articles from the Irish Indo online that new state of the art trains will be available from Autumn 2005.
"The new Spanish-made traincarriages unveiled yesterday will include in-seat radio and music, reading lights, table lamps, and adjustable seating." Athough this is for 1st class only. (grumble)
They will "operate on all regular Dublin-Cork services, and key Dublin-Limerick and Dublin-Galway routes" in Autumn 2005. (We'll just have to wait an see)
"Bringing them into service will allow other air-conditioned carriages, currently in use on the Dublin-Cork run, to replace older carriages on other inter-city routes." (Wow, AC trains, wonder when that would ever appear here in Ireland!)
See article (Need to register, but it's free) - Rail service unveils new €117m luxury train fleet
Tracking system for Dub buses. They are really serious about it, and are bringing it in (finally!). The idea is :
" A tracking device on the bus relays information to a central tracking station which uses satellite technology to predict when the next bus is scheduled.
A bus stop screen relays electronic information to those waiting and the tracking centre details delays caused by accidents, gridlock or other problems."
They are currently running a pilot prgram on the Lucan QBC and the Ballyfermot and Clondalkin QBCs, and are hoping to expand on it.
Check article (Need to register, but it's free) - Tracking device to let passengers know when their next service due