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€ 573 Million Innovative "Tram-Train" Rail System Proposed for Cork
cork |
environment |
press release
Tuesday September 16, 2008 15:03 by Brian Guckian
Scheme Requires Cancellation of Proposed Northern Ring Road CORK City and County Councils could show genuine support for European Mobility Week and for Sustainable Transport policies in general by cancelling their unsustainable proposed Northern Ring Road scheme and spending the funds on an innovative € 573 million city- and county-wide rail system using continental European "tram-train" technology instead, a national sustainable transport researcher and campaigner, Brian Guckian, has said. "Tram-train" technology, originally pioneered in Germany, uses rail vehicles similar to conventional trams, but which can run on the existing rail network as well as on-street. Mr. Guckian said that Cork lent itself very well to this technology as it had good penetration of conventional rail, and was also suitable for on-street light rail. |
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Jump To Comment: 1 2 3I realise that the rules say "Play the ball and not the player." and I fully appreciate it.
However, it would appear Mr. Guckian puts forward some sort of deluded fantasy whereby railways can be added everywhere. A railway is not efficient unless it is carry large numbers of passengers or freight over large distances.
Freight has limited use in Ireland because of the multiple handling involved unless a railway runs right to the mine / factory / shop door.
Mr. Guckian would appear to be advocating railway lines through the likes of the Barnesmore Gap and remote parts of west Cork (all the towns are on the coast, he is advocating an inland railway). Further he seems to advocate adding a tramway parallel to the Galway-Oranmore railway, rather than actually use the existing railway to provide services. Any websites he uses seems use seems to be self-referential (www.gluas.ie refers to trampower.co.uk which refers to www.gluas.ie).
Where he promotes rail, he would be much better off advocating the improvement of existing public transport and walking and cycling.
He is no better than those who advocate roads everywhere and the commuter lifestyle that is destroying the towns and vilalges of the country.
Bandon is hardly a remote area of West Cork - it is 20 miles from the city. Unfortunately most of the city end of the line is now gone having been used as the bed of the South City Link Road.
The big problem here is the lack of money however Victor is showing a typical Dublin bias - "How dare they spend a penny on public transport outside the capital".
The question of freight on the railways is a political one rather than a logistical one and stems from the influence of the road haulage industry within the two major parties and of the private sector in general who have seen to it that CIE's freight department has been decimated. A major rail freight yard at North Esk near Little Island and on the Cork- Cobh-Midleton route remains empty for much the same reason until someone decides that it makes sense to hive off to property speculators.
"The proposal would also serve Cork Airport "
Cork city centre is at sea level...sometimes below sea level at spring tides.
Cork Airport is just 4 miles away along the Kinsale Road, and at an elevation of 502 feet above the city:
A VERY steep hill for a train or tram line I would think!
.