The future of Rosslare Europort

[PaddyL]

I think this has been mentioned in the past in this forum but what I'd like to see on the Southern Corridor is the departures to (and from) Pembrokeshire spread across the day. So instead of the current 08.45 IF, 09.00 SL, 20.45 IF & 21.15 SL ex Rosslare (which seems to be dictated much more by competitive tension rather than what may be best for customers) one might have a sailing schedule along the following lines:
03.00, 09.00, 15.00 & 21.00

The only benefit (in my view) of both companies sailing minutes apart is if, God forbid, one ship got into serious difficulty the other ship would often be the most proximate vessel to it and able to render assistance before any other help would arrive.

But I won't bet even the modest cost of a bap from the terminal café that a spread of departures like this will ever happen!

(IF = Irish Ferries; SL = Stena Line)

No because those are the only sailing times hauliers want.

[PaddyL]

A friend from Stena told me that for the vast majority of sailings one ship could cope with both company's traffic, so maybe a joint service is the answer?

Hell would have to freeze over first! These companies hate working with each other as it is

Really?

Is that why Stena are buying space on the Isle of Inishmore during the Stena Europe's drydock?

[20knots]

I think this has been mentioned in the past in this forum but what I'd like to see on the Southern Corridor is the departures to (and from) Pembrokeshire spread across the day. So instead of the current 08.45 IF, 09.00 SL, 20.45 IF & 21.15 SL ex Rosslare (which seems to be dictated much more by competitive tension rather than what may be best for customers) one might have a sailing schedule along the following lines:
03.00, 09.00, 15.00 & 21.00

The only benefit (in my view) of both companies sailing minutes apart is if, God forbid, one ship got into serious difficulty the other ship would often be the most proximate vessel to it and able to render assistance before any other help would arrive.

But I won't bet even the modest cost of a bap from the terminal café that a spread of departures like this will ever happen!

(IF = Irish Ferries; SL = Stena Line)

No because those are the only sailing times hauliers want.

Wonder has the idea ever been seriously considered.

Incidentally the sailing times have been essentially the same for decades going into years when hauliers were fewer on the ground/essentially non existent.

[PaddyL]

I think this has been mentioned in the past in this forum but what I'd like to see on the Southern Corridor is the departures to (and from) Pembrokeshire spread across the day. So instead of the current 08.45 IF, 09.00 SL, 20.45 IF & 21.15 SL ex Rosslare (which seems to be dictated much more by competitive tension rather than what may be best for customers) one might have a sailing schedule along the following lines:
03.00, 09.00, 15.00 & 21.00

The only benefit (in my view) of both companies sailing minutes apart is if, God forbid, one ship got into serious difficulty the other ship would often be the most proximate vessel to it and able to render assistance before any other help would arrive.

But I won't bet even the modest cost of a bap from the terminal café that a spread of departures like this will ever happen!

(IF = Irish Ferries; SL = Stena Line)

No because those are the only sailing times hauliers want.

Wonder has the idea ever been seriously considered.

Incidentally the sailing times have been essentially the same for decades going into years when hauliers were fewer on the ground/essentially non existent.

Ferry operators always explore whether it is commercially best to change sailing times, they just don't issue a press release saying they are doing it! 

I would say that on the Rosslare - Wales routes the evening sailing ex Rosslare is not flexible nor is the early morning ex Wales so therefore, you have no choice but to pretty much keep the daytime sailings as they are too.

[Steven]

I think this has been mentioned in the past in this forum but what I'd like to see on the Southern Corridor is the departures to (and from) Pembrokeshire spread across the day. So instead of the current 08.45 IF, 09.00 SL, 20.45 IF & 21.15 SL ex Rosslare (which seems to be dictated much more by competitive tension rather than what may be best for customers) one might have a sailing schedule along the following lines:
03.00, 09.00, 15.00 & 21.00

The only benefit (in my view) of both companies sailing minutes apart is if, God forbid, one ship got into serious difficulty the other ship would often be the most proximate vessel to it and able to render assistance before any other help would arrive.

But I won't bet even the modest cost of a bap from the terminal café that a spread of departures like this will ever happen!

(IF = Irish Ferries; SL = Stena Line)

No because those are the only sailing times hauliers want.

Wonder has the idea ever been seriously considered.

Incidentally the sailing times have been essentially the same for decades going into years when hauliers were fewer on the ground/essentially non existent.

Ferry operators always explore whether it is commercially best to change sailing times, they just don't issue a press release saying they are doing it! 

I would say that on the Rosslare - Wales routes the evening sailing ex Rosslare is not flexible nor is the early morning ex Wales so therefore, you have no choice but to pretty much keep the daytime sailings as they are too.

The current times appear to work for the operators. To change sailing times would risk loosing the business they already have to the other operator IMO. 

[giftgrub]

Was in Rosslare Harbour on Saturday Morning, they are finally resurfacing the roundabout at the bottom of the hill, they have gone down a good way and replacing the block paving with about two feet thick Tarmacadam, finally the big dip in the surface is gone.

Went to Rosslare on Sunday morning in the glorious sunshine and the roundabout has still not been finished ! No expert on Tarmac but the top layer does not seem to have been put down yet, between the block paving and new Tarmac there is a drop of about two inches, seems strange.

Come on Irish Rail/ CIE get things sorted out Asap.

[giftgrub]

In Rosslare early this morning and finally the road markings in the port have been redone, I see they are being given grief on the Facebook for redoing them, but have to say it was long overdue, several times came off the Europe and the car in front did not have a clue which way to go, at least now the lames are clearly marked.

Improvements have to start somewhere and hopefully CIE, Irish Rail get the finger out and revamp the terminal building and passenger walkways, with the Stena Europe soon offering a passenger connection for sail rail they really need to get a move on.

[Steven]

In Rosslare early this morning and finally the road markings in the port have been redone, I see they are being given grief on the Facebook for redoing them, but have to say it was long overdue, several times came off the Europe and the car in front did not have a clue which way to go, at least now the lames are clearly marked.

Improvements have to start somewhere and hopefully CIE, Irish Rail get the finger out and revamp the terminal building and passenger walkways, with the Stena Europe soon offering a passenger connection for sail rail they really need to get a move on.

I've also seen the comments on a certain group on Facebook.  I agree that at least they are doing something.  Some investment is better than no investment!

[giftgrub]

Was in Rosslare this morning, and all looking very well with a flat calm sea,  one thing very obvious and easy to fix, the "welcome to Ireland" sign just after the huge Stena Line billboard going up the hill is filthy, as I am sure no budget increase is required or environmental impact study needed, get a couple of buckets of water and get it cleaned.

Also if anyone from the Europoort has internet access, please update your website

http://rosslareeuroport.irishrail.ie/home/

Did not think LD Lines service is still in operation, gateway to Europe it might be, but you need to up your game as well.

It not all doom and gloom for Rosslare:

New motorway connection to Wexford opening soon, New Ross bypass opening soon, Brexit coming, direct freight links to Europe, maybe even booze cruises coming back ..

[Steven]

Was in Rosslare this morning, and all looking very well with a flat calm sea,  one thing very obvious and easy to fix, the "welcome to Ireland" sign just after the huge Stena Line billboard going up the hill is filthy, as I am sure no budget increase is required or environmental impact study needed, get a couple of buckets of water and get it cleaned.

Also if anyone from the Europoort has internet access, please update your website

http://rosslareeuroport.irishrail.ie/home/

Did not think LD Lines service is still in operation, gateway to Europe it might be, but you need to up your game as well.

It not all doom and gloom for Rosslare:

New motorway connection to Wexford opening soon, New Ross bypass opening soon, Brexit coming, direct freight links to Europe, maybe even booze cruises coming back ..

And the potential loss of the rail link? 

Irish Rail earmarks four routes for axe as it warns pay rise will push it 'towards insolvency'
2
Anne-Marie Walsh
August 29 2017 6:30 AM
175

Irish Rail has earmarked four routes that may be axed if a serious shortfall in its funding is not met and warned that a pay rise sought for staff would push it to the brink of insolvency this year.
In a submission to the Labour Court, seen by the Irish Independent, it says it is in a "perilous financial state" and spells out the options that could land on Transport Minister Shane Ross's desk in the near future.
These include closing routes with the largest State subvention per journey.

The document also reveals that the subsidy for the Limerick to Ballybrophy route is a massive €761.60 per passenger journey, compared with just 70 cent per journey on the Dart.
Click to view full size graphic2
2
Click to view full size graphic
It said it could save €17.6m a year by shutting down Limerick to Ballybrophy, Limerick Junction to Waterford, Ennis to Athenry on the Limerick to Galway route and Gorey to Rosslare on the Dublin to Rosslare route.

It said the closure of the Limerick to Ballybrophy and Limerick Junction to Waterford lines would yield over €5m a year each.
The closure of the section of the Gorey to Rosslare route would bring in €4.4m, while shutting the Ennis to Athenry route would raise another €2.8m.

It said line closures are among the options mooted in a rail review by the company and the National Transport Authority if the Government does not produce the required funding.
The document also said that giving a 3.75pc a year pay rise sought by unions and making it retrospective to June 1 last year would "result in an immediate financial crisis".

Resists
It said if pay rises were not funded by extra productivity they would "have a catastrophic impact" on its financial situation.

Irish Rail said its accumulated losses since 2007 stand at €159m and it requires significant additional funding each year up to 2021, ranging from €90m to €158m a year.
The company's submission to the court is a supplementary one drawn up to give greater detail on its financial position as it resists a pay claim lodged by unions.

Unions initially lodged a claim for a 21pc wage increase over three years, although they later amended this to bring it into line with a 3.75pc pay hike that was awarded at Dublin Bus.
However, sources said that the final settlement for drivers might more closely mirror a cash boost of over 2pc a year on offer in the recent draft pay deal for the public sector that is currently being voted on.

This would bring the drivers' overall increase close to 3.75pc, as it would include a 1.15pc pay rise recently awarded by the court for past productivity measures.
The document says every route in the country needs State subvention.

"In relation to network reductions and line closures it should be noted that every rail service in the country requires subvention ranging from 70 cent per passenger journey on the Dart up to €761.60 on the Limerick to Ballybrophy line," it said.

In said in relation to the potential for line closures, it was listing the routes that have the largest subventions per journey.
The Rail Review said the earliest date for implementation of route closures would be the beginning of next year.

In a notice to members last week, unions for rail workers, Unite, TSSA, TEEU, Siptu and the NBRU told members they would pursue all avenues through State institutions to progress the pay claim.

"However, if we find that Iarnrod Éireann is not 'playing ball' then we will immediately seek a mandate for industrial action in order to force the company to 'do right by its own staff'," said the notice.
Irish Independent

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/irish-rail-earmarks-four-routes-for-axe-as-it-warns-pay-rise-will-push-it-towards-insolvency-36079194.html

Perhaps CIE would let the port go in that case though, letting someone willing to invest come in?  I'm sure they could use the money. 

Brexit could go either way, and could even kill off much of the Rosslare to Wales trade.  There doesn't exactly seem to be a huge clamour to bring back duty free at present either, apart from with certain newspapers.

[giftgrub]

The new developments in Irish Rail are beyond any real logic, especially with regards to cutting rail links south of Gorey, they should be developing rail travel for students and workers making the fares more attractive and getting bums on seats.

I am no expert but I think anyone with a bit of business sense could make a far better job than Irish Rail have managed in the last couple of decades on the rail line and mismanagement of the terminal building.

[hhvferry]

Perhaps CIE would let the port go in that case though, letting someone willing to invest come in?  I'm sure they could use the money. 

They'd probably need to go through various legal hoops to get rid of the port - not insurmountable ones but arcane nonetheless. Strictly CIE only own 50% of Rosslare with Stena owning the balance, and likewise at Fishguard, although each side manages, maintains and finances the port on its side individually.

[ferryfan]

I always believed that Iarnrod Eireann were the sole owners and operators of Rosslare Port.
Over the past year there have been several conflicting stories re the port's future. In their submissions to the Ireland 2040 National Planning Framework, Irish Rail have committed to developing the port, deepening it to accommodate larger vessels and also committing to developing a rail freight interface, their intention is to operate longer freight trains of up to 27 wagons (54 TEUs) on the route. These longer trains completed trials on the Dublin-Mayo line and are now in use. The growth in freight through the port, up  7% in 2015 alone, and the fact that the port actually makes a profit for it's owners at some point Irish Rail will have to (well you would hope) start to develop the port.

[giftgrub]

Ref 2.62 details ownership of Fishguard and Rosslare Railways and Harbour Company

http://www.dttas.ie/sites/default/files/node/add/content-publication/National%20Ports%20Policy%202013.PDF

[Steven]

Perhaps CIE would let the port go in that case though, letting someone willing to invest come in?  I'm sure they could use the money. 

They'd probably need to go through various legal hoops to get rid of the port - not insurmountable ones but arcane nonetheless. Strictly CIE only own 50% of Rosslare with Stena owning the balance, and likewise at Fishguard, although each side manages, maintains and finances the port on its side individually.

I wonder if Stena would be interested in taking on Rosslare as one of their fully owned ports if such an agreement could be reached?  Perhaps a company that is in the business of running ports could make more of a go of the place on its own than having to work with a company where it is very much a sideline.  Perhaps thats just wishful thinking on my part though

The new developments in Irish Rail are beyond any real logic, especially with regards to cutting rail links south of Gorey, they should be developing rail travel for students and workers making the fares more attractive and getting bums on seats.

I am no expert but I think anyone with a bit of business sense could make a far better job than Irish Rail have managed in the last couple of decades on the rail line and mismanagement of the terminal building.

Well out of my area of knowledge here, but surely they have to cut losses somewhere?  Particularly in the case of the route where the subsidy is over €700 per passenger journey (how many people are on that train I wonder?).  Perhaps culling Dublin to Rosslare is a bit much though, particularly given how little seems to have been done over the years to develop the service.