Irish bus operations may face big changes
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BIG CHANGES could be on the way for Coras Iompair Eireann, following Irish Government and consultants' inquiries into the semi-state transport board's £56m loss this year, writes ALAN MILLAR.
While the deficit was caused largely by prices not being increased in line with wages, an Oireachtas Committee (the Irish equivalent of a select committee on nationalised industries) report suggests that CIE's activities be monitored more closely, and in a national context.
It wants the real costs of public transport to be looked at more thoroughly, and for a body to be established to plan Dublin's public transport and traffic management. While the report does not say specifically what it has in mind, speculation in Dublin includes the possibility of city bus and rail services being hived off to a British-style passenger transport executive.
The thorny problem of oneman operation of Dublin double-deck buses has been raised again, and the committee proposes a one year experiment as a way of getting around the long-running impasse with trade unions.
Rural bus services should also be looked at in greater detail, with school buses perhaps being developed to carry fare-paying passengers as well.
And it wants the Department of Post and Telegraphs to look into the possibility of rural post buses which could run in conjunction with CIE.
This suggestion may be helped by Irish Prime Minister Charles Haughey's decision to ombine the Departments of Post and Telegraphs and Transport and Tourism under Communications Minister kibert Reynolds. Two of Ireand's most troubled state )oards will thus be under the ;ame pair of eyes.
The committee wants CIE's lemands for new rolling stock Lrid equipment to be moniored more strictly, which .ould mean an end to the cherished dream (CM, August 3) of building a range of sophisticated Germandesigned buses in Ireland.
While the FFG-built doubledeck prototype is now being tested in Britain, there have been no further moves in the plan for Montreal-based Bombardier to assemble doubleand single-deckers in Co, Limerick. Meanwhile, management, consultants McKinsey and Co are studying the fiscal aspects which arise from the Oireachtas Committee report, and are to identify some points more closely. The consultants aim to have their report ready by next summer.
Dublin sources suggest that the Government will act on the reports. Mr Haughey has a reputation for "doing the spectacular", and CIE's losses, may encourage him to live up to it.