Latest news with #Luas
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Flower beds to be installed around Molly Malone statue to prevent touching
The move comes after a recent trial of stewards stationed by the statue for one week in May, whose role was to discourage tourists and locals from rubbing the sculpture. According to the council, when approached by the stewards and asked not to touch Molly Malone, most people were cooperative. Tour guides also played a positive role by asking their groups to respect the statue and avoid contact. However, the council acknowledges that without stewards present, the problematic behaviour quickly returns and has become 'ingrained, apparently as part of your visit to Dublin'. This long-standing issue has made it difficult to change visitor habits, prompting the council to explore alternative protective measures such as using flower beds to create a physical barrier around the base of the statue. 'It is difficult to change this behaviour, so we are exploring other avenues of protection for the sculpture, including installing flower beds around the base,' a spokesperson for Dublin City Council said. The Molly Malone statue, which depicts the legendary fishmonger and singer immortalised in Dublin's folklore, has become a popular tourist attraction since its unveiling in 1988. Over the years, the statue's bronze surface has suffered damage caused by repeated touching and groping, especially of the statue's breasts. This practice arose as part of a misguided tradition believed by some visitors to bring good luck. A recent conservator's review found that the statue's patination – the protective coating on the bronze – has been worn and damaged by repeated touching and rubbing. The patination is damaged, and the council are currently organising its restoration to repair the sculpture and preserve it for future generations. The council's Arts Officer, Ray Yeates, previously said the treatment of the statue had caused 'disquiet and upset'. The decision to trial stewards and now install flower beds, follows a campaign led by singer-songwriter Tilly Cripwell called Leave Molly mAlone, which sought to highlight the need for greater respect and care for the statue. The campaign drew attention to how the statue has been subjected to inappropriate behaviour, urging Dubliners and visitors alike to treat the landmark with dignity. 'This is a wonderful victory for Dublin's heritage,' Ms Cripwell said. 'Molly Malone deserves to be admired and respected. I'm thrilled that Dublin City Council has taken action. 'I hope visitors will continue to appreciate her in a way that preserves her legacy and sets good social examples for future generations.' The statue originally stood on Grafton Street before being moved to Suffolk Street in 2014 during Luas construction works.
Irish Independent
6 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Cork bus services will introduce 90-minute flat fare from August
The National Transport Authority (NTA) confirmed that flat fare and tag-on boarding will come to Cork bus services next month through a Freedom of Information request from Green Party spokesperson on transport, Feljin Jose. The change will allow commuters to change freely between buses in a 90-minute window once the initial fare is paid via a Leap card. It will be implemented on Cork city bus services in August, and later, in 2025, the fare will stretch to rail services between Kent, Little Island and Glounthane stations. From 2026, distance-based commuter bus fares will apply in a concentric commuter zone outside Cork extending to 30km from the city centre. Cork city bus services will provide a Leap card validator on each bus. The equipment will be separate from the driver's terminal and will allow commuters to board without the need to go to the driver. The new validators were intended to be available on buses from August. However, this has been delayed due to software and technical reasons. Green Party councillor for Cork City North East, Oliver Moran, said the changes will benefit commuters. "A flat 90-minute fare means people not being punished for changing services, even different kinds of services,' Cllr Moran said. 'Although it's been delayed, moving to a tag-on type system away from the driver means buses boarding faster. 'That's going to help with queuing times at busy stops like Patrick's Street, Kent Station, and Clontarf Street. It means in overall journey times a bus driver can travel faster too along a route.' The Green councillor believes public transport will provide the future of commuting in Cork. "In the next five to ten years, we need to draw more people onto public transport in preparation for high-frequency commuter rail, BusConnects, and eventually the Luas,' Cllr Moran said. 'Public transport has to be the go-to choice for commuting in the city in that time period.'
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Cork City buses to introduce 90-minute free transfer Leap fare from next month
A new 90-minute Leap card flat fare is being introduced on Cork's city bus network next month that will allow passengers free transfer between buses for multi-leg journeys. A new distance-based fare structure is also being introduced in a new commuter zone outside the city zone that will extend to some 30km from the city centre. However, plans to introduce a new 'tap-on tap-off' payment system on the bus fleet around the same time have been delayed due to technical and software issues, the Irish Examiner has learned. It follows the adoption of a new fares policy and two new fares zones for Cork by the board of the National Transport Authority (NTA). The fares will be introduced in three phases from next month, with the flat 90-minute Leap card fare introduced first, applying initially to Cork City bus services only. The second stage, scheduled for later this year, will see a flat 90-minute Leap card bus and rail fare, applying to city bus services and to rail services between Kent, Little Island and Glounthane stations. The fare will be set higher than the bus-only 90-minute fare in stage one, which will then be discontinued. And next year, stage three will see the introduction of distance-based commuter bus fares in the new Cork Commuter Zone, which is outside the city zone and extends 30km from the city centre to include the rest of the commuter train stations, including Midleton and Mallow, as well as commuter bus services operating in the area that extends to just south Fermoy, and takes in Bandon and Kinsale. However, plans to install a pole-mounted Leap card validator system on buses to allow passengers board and pay without having to go to the driver have been delayed over technical and software issues. The new fares structure, similar to the TFI 90-minute fare that operates in Dublin across the capital's bus and Luas network, is seen as a vital part of the BusConnects project. The fare changes will apply to the existing bus network before the Cork BusConnects network is introduced, from next April. Green Party Cllr Oliver Moran said they will have a real impact. 'They're the first stage of the overall BusConnects programme that people will actually experience. They'll make a real difference to passengers and services here and now, where people will really feel it,' he said. 'In the next five to 10 years, we need to draw more people onto public transport in preparation for high-frequency commuter rail, BusConnects and eventually the Luas. Public transport has to be the go-to choice for commuting in the city in that time period.' Despite the delay in the introduction of the tap-on, tap-off payment system, Mr Moran said once it's introduced, it will mean faster boarding. 'That's going to help with queuing times at busy stops like St Patrick's Street, Kent Station and Clontarf Street. It means in overall journey times, a bus driver can travel faster too along a route.' Read More Is more congestion in Cork City an inevitability?
Irish Times
16-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Pre-tax profits at Luas operator Transdev reduce by 61%
Pre-tax losses at the operator of the Luas reduced by 61 per cent to €3.53 million in 2023. Accounts filed by Luas operator, Transdev Dublin Light Rail Ltd (TDLR) show that the company recorded the sharp decrease in losses as revenues rose by 13 per cent from €81.7 million to €92.38 million. In a note with the accounts the directors said that losses reduced by 61 per cent 'mainly due to the improvement of the operational performance and exceptional energy index in December 2022'. The energy index relates to the efficient consumption of energy. Concerning a tram damaged during the Dublin Riots, the note said that on November 23rd 2023, 'a riot occurred in Dublin City Centre where tram #5037 was blocked by those involved'. READ MORE The note went on to say that 'the tram driver evacuated all passengers and secured the tram, so nobody was injured during the event. The tram was set alight during the riot resulting in severe damages. The tram is currently being repaired and is scheduled to be back in service at the beginning of 2026'. Asked to quantify the costs of the damage a spokeswoman for Transdev said on Wednesday: 'As this matter is currently before the courts, we are unable to comment further. The details are also commercially sensitive.' David McWilliams on how 'big incentives' to build could save Dublin city Listen | 36:51 Commenting on the performance of the business in 2025, the Transdev spokeswoman said: 'In 2025, we are seeing record levels of performance and passenger numbers, reflecting strong public confidence and the essential role Luas plays in Dublin's transport network'. A key trend from last year which continued in 2025 for the Luas was a notable increase in weekend travel, driven by growing demand related to retail, events, and leisure. In 2024, Luas recorded 54 million passenger journeys, reflecting a strong and sustained recovery following the pandemic, it said. The 54 million passengers in 2024 was a 12 per cent increase on the 48.2 million passengers in 2023. Last year, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) put an estimated value of €1.75 billion on the new Luas operation and maintenance contract. The note attached to the Transdev accounts noted that the current contract would expire at the end of November 2025. The directors said that the timeline had been extended to August 2026 to facilitate the tender process for a new contract, incorporating operations and asset maintenance activities for the Luas light rail system. Staff numbers in 2023 increased from 603 to 648 as staff costs rose from €33.66 million to €37.16 million.
Irish Examiner
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Esther McCarthy: Cork v Dublin was an opportunity for a family memory
We're trying a new thing as a family this summer — vowing not to murder each other. It's an annual thing, something I heard in a podcast, or read somewhere — I don't know, it's a minor miracle it stayed in my brain at all, ok, leave me alone. It's about a little vocabulary change and redirecting your perspective. So instead of saying 'We have to...' we're all trying to change it to 'We get to....' When our prebooked taxi didn't turn up recently, and the impatience and the 'for feck's sakes' started, we did the 'We get to...' script. 'We get to be together in the sun, with no school or work to worry about.' 'We get to play thumbs wars with each other.' 'We get to eat ice cream while we wait.' I used it myself recently, when we were trying to get to the Cork V Dublin hurling semi-finals in Croke Park. 'It's such a lovely thing to do as a family, isn't it,' I say, as five of us hover over two laptops, phones, and some carrier pigeons in the minutes leading up to Ticketmaster releasing the tickets. It's the 16-year-old who secures four seats altogether as I try mashing my fists into the keyboard in panic as the little blips turn from green to red. 'Oh no!' I say as he confirms the purchase. 'That's one short. Don't worry, I'll stay at home. Ye go.' I Revolut him the cash feeling magnanimous and martyr-ish, while thinking of a full Saturday with a guilt-free free gaff. Already picking out my elasticated pants, I send him the €240. In the stampede online, I forgot it was real money, but as I'm trying to not buy any new clothes for 2025, I'll take my dopamine kicks where I can find them. 'No, these are for ye. The lads have my ticket,' says the teenager. 'We're going on the bus.' On one hand, he's doing what we've reared him to do. He's independent, organised, and prefers the company of his peers. On the other hand, instead of a lie-in, the papers, five croissants, and coffee, my Saturday is now looking like hangsangers, traffic, and the torment of parking in Dublin. But my training kicks in. 'We get to spend the day together in Dublin!' Not an utterance you're likely to hear too often out of the gob of a Cork woman but there you go. We vow to hit the road early and it works a treat. We're up in no time, into the park and ride by 10am. 'We get to ride the Luas!' I say enthusiastically, as two huge dudes that look like oak trees with heads and stab vests check our tickets. We make a day of it. We go to Dream Point in the Docklands, we have a brilliant bashy balloon fight, take pictures of ourselves in an upside down house, and write UP CORK in big letters in the glow art corridor. Oh, and we get to swim in a giant ball pit, and it's such a laugh. Why haven't we been in a ball pit since they were smallies? It's the best! Then we walk to O'Connell Street and watch the marchers, protesting the State's housing policies. 'When housing rights are under attack,' a loudspeaker booms and the crowds chant back: 'Stand up, fight back!' We get to be grateful for a roof over our heads. We check out Foot Locker and the big Easons, and we wave into the portal. Then we get to join the sea of red and white as we make our way to Croke Park. We join in the chants of our own tribes, Oh to, oh to be, oh to be a REBEL. We meet friends, and share photos in the family WhatsApp of our progress towards the Davin Stand. And then I get to see the 10-year old's face explode with joy at every point, and I get to hug him and thump his back. We jump and roar for every CÚL that lights up the stadium. Seven goals and 26 points — we defy gravity along with what feels like the whole county leaping out of our seats, but apparently there are about 60,000 Cork supporters in Croker and it feels like we all have wings. Afterwards we float on the atmosphere and the bonhomie and we end up in the city centre again, and get to have dinner in the coolest place ever. Like it's ridiculously cool. If it were a person, it would pee icecubes while quoting Fran Lebowitz. There's a live DJ, the staff look like they've been scouted from a music video, and the pizza oven has an EU award. If I'd known, I might have panicked about my look. But hey, we're in Cork jerseys — and we four sweaty, sneakered boggers slow-moed into that hip restaurant like Warren Beatty boarding a yacht. We get to make absolute piggies of ourselves in Little Pyg, reliving every point with sauce-covered fingers and zero shame. Later as the boys are settling in in the back of the car, the 10-year-old says sleepily: 'I think that was one of the best days of my life.' And I got to be there for it. And we get to play to Tipperary in the finals next Saturday. We likely won't score tickets, but we'll watch it together wherever we are. HON THE REBELS.
