NRG

1

• NRG
• Newbridge Rail Group
• Martin Cullen, T.D.
• Minister for Transport
• 9 November, 2006

2
Introduction

• Newbridge Rail Group (NRG) founded in February
  2006
• A number of public meetings held, press releases
  issued, meetings held with Irish Rail and over
  1,000 emails received to date
• Representing a cross section of the community
  using Irish Rail services
• Large pool of users, including
• 1,200 Daily Commuters
• 200 Students / Others

3
Newbridge Fastest Growing Town in Kildare
Catchment Area for Newbridge Station.
4
Rapid Population GrowthSource Combined figures
for Newbridge from CSO
5
Newbridge Fastest Growing Town in Kildare

• CSO Population figures understate size of the
  town, we are not 9,000 but over 28,000
• Changed from a country village to suburban town
• White Water Shopping Centre largest outside
  Dublin
• Increased Participation by local people in action
  groups
• Rail service of strategic importance for future
  development

6
Newbridge Pricing Comparison Suburban Stations

• Newbridge cost per mile is
• The dearest of all suburban stations
• 20 higher than the average station
• 50 dearer than the cheapest station

Source Irish Rail website, Nov 2006
7
Newbridge Pricing Comparison Kildare Line

• Newbridge cost per mile is
• The dearest of all Kildare line stations
• 100 more than Hazelhatch ( cheapest )
• 30 more than Sallins
• 19 more than the average

Source Irish Rail website, Nov 2006
8
Pricing Recommendation

• Advise Irish Rail pricing committee to eliminate
  the imbalance in current 2007 review
• Benefits
• Lower prices more customers less road users
• Improved Return on Investment
• Greater use of public services Rail, Luas Bus
  less air pollution, more lives saved!

9
Car Park - Overcrowded

• Solution Invest in Your Business
• Use State land beside station (proposed Dept. of
  Defense HQ)
• Free Bus to and from the Station
• Underground/Over ground parking.
• Benefit
• More car spaces more customers less road
  users
• Improved Return on Investment
• Greater use of public services Rail, Luas Bus
  less air pollution, more lives saved!

10
Customer Service Improvements

• Solution Focus on population centres
• We acknowledge more better train services
  due....for Newbridge?
• Improve punctuality of services
• Change Irish Rail performance benchmark and share
  results with users groups
• Budget for Shelters, Tannoys, Bicycle Sheds,
  CCTV, Mobility Access
• Irish Rail to understand customers end to end
  journey
• Benefits
• Increase customer satisfaction
• Cost to economy reduced
• Better Service more customers less road users
  
• Improved Return on Investment
• Greater use of public services Rail, Luas Bus
  less air pollution, more lives saved!

11
Future Strategy.Need to put customer first

• Solution
• Focus on commuter towns and what the customer
  wants
• Change the planning culture to build the rail
  service for the people and not the people to fit
  the rail service
• Use Kildare Route Project to allow change to take
  place
• Structured consultation process with all
  stakeholders Commuter Groups / Irish Rail / DTA
  / other bodies
•  Benefits
• Irish Rail will have a more focused and relevant
  commuter service
• Improved Return on Investment
• Less cars on the road, greater use on public
  services rail, luas bus and less air
  pollution, more lives saved!

12
Dept of Transport can

• Instruct Irish Rail to eliminate pricing
  imbalances
• Instruct Irish Rail to create a budget for
  Newbridge to provide shelters, tannoys, bicycle
  sheds, CCTV and mobility access
• Instruct Irish Rail to provide punctuality
  statistics from station to destination, not from
  end to end, e.g. Cork Dublin
• Deliver a car park solution
• Create bus links to Newbridge station to reduce
  car use and eliminate current parking congestion
  in the station car park
• Create Structured consultation process with all
  stakeholders

13

• Thank you for your time!