The Ballyfermot Post

Report warns students over rail tickets

The national rail users group, Rail Users Ireland, have released a report saying the Irish Rail ticketing system has widespread abnormalities where passengers are overcharged, including cases where student tickets cost more then the adult fare.

COMMENT: Road safety must be taken seriously

The Irish Examiner reported Monday that there have been 63 lives lost in the 63 days so-far of of 2008, our story on drivers’ behaviour on a road near this college is just another of many indicators that making Irish roads safe is little more then something we would like to do, but it’s just too much effort for most. A statement last year from the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) shows the typical mentally in Ireland.

“The imposition of a tougher licensing regime on younger drivers is designed to address road safety concerns. USI welcomes the fact that the Government is determined to lower the number of accidents caused by inexperienced drivers,” said Peadar Hayes, the USI welfare officer. “But younger drivers are often quite dependent on their cars, and that is often by necessity.” Simply put, the union welcomes ways of stopping deaths, but not at the apparently extreme cost of inconveniencing students.

The union said the emphasis on improving road safety must be matched by “wholesale” public on transport improvements... Is there another way of reading this besides ‘no safety without public transport’?

And it gets worse, the now USI president, Hamid Khodabakhshi, said: “Protecting people’s mobility, safety, and the environment: these three watchwords must inform improvements to licensing and testing, but also improvements to public transport,”

Watchwords, more like buzzwords. What kind of nonsense is this? More people driving is good for the environment?

Lucan Luas may pass Ballyfermot

The Lucan Luas line could have a stop at Ballyfermot Village if one of the two routes is selected. The proposed ‘Line F’ includes three stops on the Ballyfermot Road – at the village, the Community Centre, and Cherry Orchard Hospital.

Integrated ticketing mooted 17 years ago

Tickets that can be used across Dublin Bus, Luas and Dart could be introduced overnight, but the integrated ticketing project is hampered by infighting between state bodies. It is also heavily focused on using ‘smartcards’ – electronic cards which store credit and travel information.

West Dublin to get Dart, Luas, Metro

A Dart station within walking distance of Ballyfermot Village could be part of the planned public transport for west Dublin, the Ballyfermot Post has learnt.