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IRELAND & NORTHERN IRELAND FOCUS


“We have an excellent working relationship. A relationship where operational objectives always take precedent.”


der two hours to over three hours depend- ing on the time of day.


Dick Fearn Mal McGreevy


operate on a cost-sharing basis so that if there is any imbalance in the maintenance costs, we share the difference in costs.”


To further emphasise the transparent co- ownership of the service, the companies run ‘mixed stock’. A strategic decision to increase the length of the four seven-coach rakes led to the introduction of three eight-coach rakes, using both Irish Rail and Northern Ireland Railways stock, with the remaining four spare vehicles recycled into service when overhaul or maintenance is required.


The trains carry a standard Enterprise livery common to both companies and be- cause of the mix of Irish Rail and Northern Ireland Rail vehicles in a single rake, there is a need for the coaches to be compatible and consistent.


However, there are some areas over which Translink and Irish Rail have little control. Ticket prices have always been set to be as close as possible for passengers from ei- ther starting station, but the recent fluctu- ations in currencies have seen the euro rise to as much as 95 pence at times, against an historic typical level of 70 pence per euro. Trying to reflect currency differences in the price of a ticket is not an easy process.


As Irish Rail’s Dick Fearn explained to the Irish Parliament: “Over the life of the Enterprise service, fare levels have dif- fered. We had the Irish punt before the euro and the exchange rates have varied with the euro. From time to time, dif- ferentials arise between the various fare structures. Although traditional fare struc- tures can have differentials in that way, there is now a common cause between Translink and Iarnród Éireann in mar- keting on-line.” In the current economic climate, Irish Rail does not want to lower Dublin-based prices whilst Translink does


not want to raise Belfast prices. The result is a 10% differential between the cost of a ticket depending on which end of the line passengers start their journeys. Parity could be achieved overnight, but the two operators have agreed to align prices over a much longer period of time, given that the euro/sterling exchange rate has seen unprecedented volatility since the finan- cial crisis began in 2008.


But there is change on the horizon and it is something that both Translink and Irish Rail are keen to secure. Although passen- ger numbers doubled in the five years to 2002, ridership has since fallen.


“There is a sound argument for putting an hourly service in place ahead of the economic upturn, so that when it does come around, we are ready for it and we can facilitate those economic benefits.”


Around 750,000 are expected to have used the service in the year to March 2011. The company have continued to grow rail pas- senger numbers despite a tough economic climate. Across Northern Ireland rail numbers are up approximately 3.5% year on year. Enterprise is also up around 3.5% with passenger numbers starting to re- cover after the bridge collapse at Malahide outside Dublin in 2009.


This has been challenging as the road network has also considerably improved - there is now continuous motorway be- tween Belfast and Dublin making car trav- els times, city centre to city centre, compa- rable to that of Enterprise.


By train the 112 miles takes two hours ten minutes, whereas a motorist can cover a similar distance in anything between un-


The challenge from the motorist has raised Enterprise’s profile once more, highlight- ing the service’s potential to grow if the right investment is forthcoming. Running three trains results in eight services per day, sometimes with typical service gaps of two and a half hours.


With investment in rolling stock, an hourly service becomes a reality and far more at- tractive to those travelling between the two cities. Translink believe that, with the right funding, this could become reality within three years.


The second area ripe for improvement is the track itself. McGreevy envisages much of the line being upgraded to carry trains capable of 125mph up from a nominal 90mph, although it’s unlikely this could be achieved before 2020. But the rolling stock and track upgrades represent an opportuni- ty for the railway to improve infrastructure ahead of any economic improvements.


McGreevy states: “There is a very sound argument for putting an hourly service in place ahead of the economic upturn, so that when it does come around, we are ready for it and we can facilitate those economic ben- efits. The Eastern corridor between Belfast and Dublin will continue to be the most economically active region of the whole of the island of Ireland and we must keep our eyes on that at all times.”


Plans are advanced and business cases have been put together. The responses of the respective governments in Dublin and in Belfast are key as to whether the Enterprise service will get the investment necessary for it to take these major steps forward.


Given Enterprise’s proven record of success in attracting passengers, and the increasing focus on sustainability as a key aspect of everyday life, a failure to sanction greater investment in this most durable of rail serv- ices will be seen as a missed opportunity.


FOR MORE INFORMATION www.translink.co.uk www.irishrail.ie


rail technology magazine Feb/Mar 11 | 43


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