gatsby

hey folks, i’ve been following this thread for some time now and the recent comments on rail developments have finally prompted me to post. its encouraging to read the opinions that present an optimistic view of the city and its future.

the idea of re-introducing light rail into cork is fascinating not only because it would have such a dramatic impact on city life but also because it is an obvious AND viable proposal.

If the rail lines were actually constructed and these proposals became a reality, then i feel the next stage would involve a two-pronged branding strategy that would aim to;

1) ensure consumer confidence that the service is Punctual, Frequent, Flexible and Clean. The affordability of travel would also be a significant factor but not necessarily a primary factor.

• customers must have confidence that the train will be there (this isn’t the No. 8 on tracks!)
• as JUNGLE pointed out the customer should be able to use different modes of transport without different kinds of tickets or stations
• Cleanliness is BIG, perhaps a bigger issue than people realise. you’ll never get families or business people using it if its a grafitti-ed mess

• Affordability of travel is important and there should be significant discounts for family passes and year long passes. costs per annum could be offset neatly by encouraging ALL people to buy a year long pass. like a gym membership many people will rarely, if ever, use it but we must sell them the idea that if they dont buy it they’re missing out. Its their reliable back up!

2) create a lifestyle brand. that is that the integrated transport service is marketed as part of the new way of life in cork city.

• This is the more interesting and long term aspect of the marketing approach. Its not about the morning and evening rush hours to and from the daily grind: its about people with lots of shopping bags meeting their friends for a coffee.
• Its about business peole being taken home in comfortable surroundings (similar to an old Evening Herald TV ad)
• An important point is that its not a new thing. In fact its tradition (ie the old trams of cork). so we’re not talking about some hypermodern appendage transplanted onto the city but rather, “the trams are coming home”.

Such a service deserves a name that respects the indepence and pride of cork people, so i would suggest that Cork Area Rapid Transport (CART) would be a mistake on many levels. This service requires a name far more distinctive and ambitious. Although the proposed service is of a light rail type, i would propose the title:
[align=center:p6fbs0jv]The Cork Metro[/align:p6fbs0jv]

or as the campaign would market it as:
[align=center:p6fbs0jv]”The Comet”[/align:p6fbs0jv]

The tagline would be “Catch the Comet” and could be promoted prior to introduction in faux cinema trailers. (eg coming 2010, Catch the Comet)

Maybe it seems i’m getting carried away with the whole idea but i think that its important to publicise and discuss these ideas now. Even if people begin to whisper that an integrated transport system in Cork is viable, then that is enough. Ideas will gather moment and and the abstract will shift to the practical.Crucially, why i decided to make this post was because i dont believe that the marketing stage necessarily comes after the design stage. If we can believe that this system is viable and if we continue to publicise that belief then it will become reality.

i think what you guys do on this thread and the other cork threads is fantastic and it will eventually bear fruit.

keep it up!!