Investment at Rosslare Europort

Started by pdnr777, January 06, 2018, 05:28:40 PM

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giftgrub

Was in Rosslare early on Sunday and spotted the new Stena Line billboard "Guardians of the Gaelic Sea" on the roundabout and also a sign telling construction traffic to stay left !

Did not have phone with me so no images.

Also Neptune Aegli was in port and seemed to have a few trailers waiting.

Also reading an old copy of the Wexford People apparently Rosslare Eurosport makes about 2.5 million euro profit per Annum,  money which if kept would allow purchase of land between SuperValu and Roche Freight for Development of custom check halls and food check areas, Lorry parks etc in event of Brexit and also many other options if Britain goes through with this.

Simply route all freight out the back entrance and all checks could take place outside port, in dedicated area.

IFPete

Will Ocscar Wilde operate from Rosslare or Dublin in 2019.

Steven

Quote from: giftgrub on November 12, 2018, 06:55:00 PM
Was in Rosslare early on Sunday and spotted the new Stena Line billboard "Guardians of the Gaelic Sea" on the roundabout and also a sign telling construction traffic to stay left !

Did not have phone with me so no images.

Also Neptune Aegli was in port and seemed to have a few trailers waiting.

Also reading an old copy of the Wexford People apparently Rosslare Eurosport makes about 2.5 million euro profit per Annum,  money which if kept would allow purchase of land between SuperValu and Roche Freight for Development of custom check halls and food check areas, Lorry parks etc in event of Brexit and also many other options if Britain goes through with this.

Simply route all freight out the back entrance and all checks could take place outside port, in dedicated area.

Problem is the profit seems to be used to prop up CIE.

I know Pirrenial Freight at least have a contract with Neptune.  Wouldn't be surprised if there are a few others.
Steve in Belfast (suburbia)

Flickr: www.flickr.com/tarbyonline

Ger Tigchelaar

At a recent meeting between Wexford County Council and Iarnrod Eireann it was confirmed that there are no plans to close the Rosslare to Gorey rail line as treats been going on in recent years. It was also stated that 2.8 million going to be spent over the next year at  Rosslare Europort.

pdnr777

Am trying to find out what was proposed in the news for investment for the port yesterday. In monetary terms and possible project outline

Steven

Quote from: pdnr777 on November 14, 2018, 07:33:25 PM
Am trying to find out what was proposed in the news for investment for the port yesterday. In monetary terms and possible project outline
€15m over a number of years (5?) apparently.  Sounds a lot but really isn't to be honest.  Linkspan replacement has been mentioned by some I believe - P&O's new Cairnryan linkspan cost in the region of £13m including all the assosciated work (which included realignment) and Portsmouth just invested £9m in a new twin tier linkspan.  I recall a couple of years ago Rosslare Port was making a couple of million a year so if this is still the case CIE are only reinvesting the money the port makes anyway!

Cork is spending a heck of a lot more in any case!
Steve in Belfast (suburbia)

Flickr: www.flickr.com/tarbyonline

giftgrub

Don't think it's linkspan related, that would be a very specific capital project and not where they need to look at the moment, three modern link spans at port, one a double deck should be sufficient and the other two can be converted to double deck quite easily.

Would expect more info in the People this week.

Steven

Quote from: giftgrub on November 18, 2018, 09:27:23 PM
Don't think it's linkspan related, that would be a very specific capital project and not where they need to look at the moment, three modern link spans at port, one a double deck should be sufficient and the other two can be converted to double deck quite easily.

Would expect more info in the People this week.

We shall see in due course.  Details have been very sketchy tbh.  Surprised there doesn't seem to be any official statement at all. Missed PR opportunity?
Steve in Belfast (suburbia)

Flickr: www.flickr.com/tarbyonline

giftgrub

#53
From Wexford People


https://www.wexfordpeople.ie/news/tunnel-vision-no-rail-line-service-lacks-innovation-37544658.html

David Looby at Wexford County Council's meeting

November 24 2018 12:00 AM

Commuters are going to have to continue to put up with substandard railway cars and limited access to Dublin via train.

This was the message that councillors heard about the future of the Rosslare Europort to Dublin line having been briefed by Irish Rail press officer Barry Kenny.

Submissions were made by Wexford County Council CEO Tom Enright for improved train carriages and a fresh look at the train service - suggesting commuters disembark the train at Bray, before accessing one of the frequent Dart trains into the city centre.

Mr Kenny said there are no plans for any major changes on the 170km train track route to Bray.

'The average journey time into Connolly Station is two hours, 23 minutes. This is a challenge with the upgrade of the roads,' he cautioned, before pointing to a 9 per cent increase in train journeys made this year compared to the first ten months of last year.

A €5 each way promotion saw a 20 per cent increase in passengers availing of the train service to and from Dublin over the summer.

There are plans to introduce a fleet of extra intermediate rail cars, but a suggestion by Cllr Robbie Ireton for the train route - (one of the most scenic in Europe, he believes) - to be made into an Orient Express type experience was run aground by Mr Kenny.

The Irish Rail spokesperson had an eye on the clock and the coast as he was catching the last train back to Dublin. He expressed concern about the negative effects climate change is having on the Wexford and Wicklow coastlines, saying a medium to long term strategy is needed.

Mr Kenny confirmed that Irish Rail has no plans to close the Gorey to Rosslare line, saying, instead that the company is in expansion mode for the coming decade.

Mr Enright said a submission was made to Irish Rail in January of last year that the Rosslare service could be truncated at Bray at peak times when passengers when disembark for a Dart train.

Calling for a more frequent train service from Dublin to Wexford and Wexford to Dublin, he said an express service is needed to get commuters to meetings and appointments. 'The train could skip smaller stations so people could get on in the morning and be in Dublin in time for their meeting and get back in the evening.'

The fact that the rail line is unique in the country by virtue of the fact it is the only service where customers can't sit down and work on their computers.

Mr Enright called for the rail cars to be upgraded, saying: 'We were promised that this would happen by the previous CEO.'

He said coastal erosion is a particular concern for the council as it could lead to the closure of the rail line for a significant period of time.

'It could close and make it difficult to reopen it in a speedy manner.'

Cllr Malcolm Byrne said the same urban Irish Rail rolling stock has been in use, more or less, on the Rosslare Harbour to Dublin line for 20 years, apart from a brief hiatus in 2005 for a few years when luxurious trains were run on the tracks.

He disagreed with Mr Enright's plan to have passengers disembark the train at Bray, saying he doesn't believe this would speed up the journey.

Cllr Byrne said considering traffic in and around Dublin is now busier than at the peak of the boom in the mid-Noughties, there is an ideal opportunity for the train service to fill the gap in the market. 'This is an ideal opportunity to relieve a bit of the pressure on the N11. It also makes sense for environmental reasons but does Irish Rail have that innovative thinking?'

Cllr Larry O'Brien outlined how councillors received a commitment that the Rosslare to Waterford line would remain open, but it was closed a decade ago.

He said there have been subsequent issues involving the company, including the fact that foot passengers disembarking ferries had to wait hours for a train, as it pulled out from the station minutes before they arrived.

Cllr Oisin O'Connell said there is an opportunity to provide a freight train service for goods from Rosslare Europort across the country. 'Based on past experience the lack of joined up thinking regarding Rosslare Europort and the rail network has been somewhat underwhelming. It's symptomatic of a corporate culture that is willing to allow certain infrastructure to wither on the vine so the low lying fruit can be snatched up.'

Mr Kenny said the rail service is now connected with the ships arrival times.

Steven

Steve in Belfast (suburbia)

Flickr: www.flickr.com/tarbyonline

giftgrub

Great find Steven, well done.

Makes interesting reading, there are some positive signs in the article and in reality when you visit the port.

On a couple of issues there is a massive piece of land for sale for years next to Rochefreight which would be an ideal check area, for food and agri, accessible from back road out of port, if developed.

The motor way extension from Oylegate to Rosslare will happen but not for a long time yet, nothing to do with the port and traffic jams in Rosslare Harbour are rare, not a hindrance to traffic.

Well done to the new manager I think he might look at this forum occasionally and credit where credit is due, things do look better in the port.

When the terminal first opened it was a destination on Saturday/Sunday for teas/coffees/lunches/beers as people could freely access the car park and the "patio" area was accessible so there was always a buzz around the place and combined with travelers on the Ferries often full. These are different times, but even giving the restaurant free rent for a year or setting an income threshold would allow some ambitious individuals to take a punt, also give them the rights for a coffee hut in the standing area for cars and they can take some additional income from combining coffee with milk into a 3 euro cup of magic !


ccs

The new manager has certainly improved the look of the place. It doesn't have the abandoned look that it had for last few years. However his next challenge may prove harder than cosmetic change. The best of luck to him.

Steven

Quote from: giftgrub on November 26, 2018, 09:05:11 PM
Great find Steven, well done.

Makes interesting reading, there are some positive signs in the article and in reality when you visit the port.

On a couple of issues there is a massive piece of land for sale for years next to Rochefreight which would be an ideal check area, for food and agri, accessible from back road out of port, if developed.

The motor way extension from Oylegate to Rosslare will happen but not for a long time yet, nothing to do with the port and traffic jams in Rosslare Harbour are rare, not a hindrance to traffic.

Well done to the new manager I think he might look at this forum occasionally and credit where credit is due, things do look better in the port.

When the terminal first opened it was a destination on Saturday/Sunday for teas/coffees/lunches/beers as people could freely access the car park and the "patio" area was accessible so there was always a buzz around the place and combined with travelers on the Ferries often full. These are different times, but even giving the restaurant free rent for a year or setting an income threshold would allow some ambitious individuals to take a punt, also give them the rights for a coffee hut in the standing area for cars and they can take some additional income from combining coffee with milk into a 3 euro cup of magic !

The major problem will be getting the required investment.  We could be talking €100m+ for his little wish list, and it's hard to see where that is going to come from.  As discussed here previously, CIE have been pocketing the "surplus" generated by the port to prop up railway operations which are loss making - where are they going to find that type of cash to invest in a single facility when I'm sure there are plenty of other places in the Iarnród Éireann portfolio that have also been starved of investment?  The EU might be able to assist with some funding of course, but they are hardly going to hand over the greater part of what's needed. 

For me they are only really interested now because the "surplus" as they call it has been declining for a number of years.  The magic money tree is starting to go bare!
Steve in Belfast (suburbia)

Flickr: www.flickr.com/tarbyonline

giftgrub

More news

https://www.rte.ie/amp/1023366/

There are concerns that one of the country's main ports is not prepared for Brexit, despite Government plans for a €45 million improvement scheme.

Rosslare Europort provides ferry links between Ireland and the Welsh ports of Fishguard and Pembroke.

Plans have been announced by the Office of Public Works for a new customs facility at the port, as well as upgraded revenue, agriculture and immigration controls.

Glen Carr, General Manager of the CIE-operated port, said that given up to 70% of goods transported through Rosslare are agricultural and food produce, it is essential that a border inspection post is built.


Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Carr said it has been envisioned that this would take between two and a half and three years to build.

He added that the design phase for the facility has been completed with the OPW, and the planning phase is set to begin.

"I think the congestion is going to be our biggest fear. There isn't enough room to accommodate the vehicles coming in"

ccs

Piece on RTE Radio 1s Morning Ireland about the closure. Interview with a local business owners about how they will be affected. Glenn Carr the manager of the port was also interviewed.   

The programme will be available to listen to/download later today https://www.rte.ie/radio1/morning-ireland/podcasts/
It was on at approx 8.45 so 45 minutes into the 2nd hour.