Re: Re: college green/ o’connell street plaza and pedestrians

AHhh The slow and suspenseful dropping of the Penny…..
The single most important item missing from the Irish Political stage is the ability to take a decision.
The present Taoiseach is probably the World Champion at “Consensus” politics.
Concensus being a relatively new term for “Failure to make a Decision”.
The RATP “Carte Orange” setup you mention is testimony to the role which the RATP plays in PROVIDING Public Transport in Metropolitan Paris.

It`s not seen in France as anything peculiar for the agency to get it`s hands dirty selling it`s ticketing options.
Here in Baile Atha Cliath our Bus Services CASH fares remain within the jealously guarded gift of the Dept of Transport whilst the Off Bus Ticket Sales are NON-Controlled.

Over the years this form of “Gaelic” price fixing has eroded the universal benefit of OFF Bus Prepaid ticketing,namely DISCOUNT,since the cash strapped operator has over the years attempted to rack up income in the only manner it could by INCREASING Off Bus Ticket prices or by eliminating the discounts which once applied. to Pre-Paid tickets.

It`s not all bad news though,as the CIE company`s have put quite a bit of welly into the Taxsaver Ticket range which DOES provide a very flexible AND integrated range of tickets benefiting from a Revenue Taxback feature.

However the present Smartcard fiasco continues to wobble along with €16 Million already spent and NOTHING to show for it which surely proves the lack of a decision maker anywhere in the Capitals infrastructure !!