A United Ireland. Opening up the discussion.

[armaghniac]

The scandalous amputation of NI transport obviously had a sectarian aspect. But it also reflect myopic planning as they closed the lines to Banbridge and Comber also.

[RadioGAAGAA]

Not sure if this is exactly the right place for this.....but an improved rail system would certainly be a big part of a future Ireland. I'm sure we have all seen the maps of how the North-West of the island and west of Ulster has been neglected. Hopefully this review can lead to much needed expansion

https://strategicrailreview.com/

Probably just a talking shop. Cant even run the rail network that we currently have. We love the car too much, especially in the north and especially in Belfast

Ah, well - if there were a great park n ride setup from major outlying towns to Belfast, that may be sustainable.

But really the problem is that Belfast isn't dense enough to justify the kind of mass transit systems that the planners keep trying for.


The Glider is a f**king disaster. Translink will come on and say "ahh, but journeys are up X%" - without realising the end-goal of Glider isn't to get more people on buses.

The end-goal is to reduce emissions through reduced congestion. For that, its a complete f**king disaster as now thousands of cars spend many minutes longer getting down the same roads that now have permanent bus lanes on them so end result is emissions are up, not down.

[general_lee]

How many glider routes are there? Two? You can't really criticise Translink. They're just there to run public transport. They don't get to choose transport policy. You say Belfast isn't dense enough for mass transit system (which the glider isn't, hence why it's there instead of a tram) but the greater Belfast metropolitan area is almost 40% of the north's population. It has to have something and the glider is small fry compared to similar urban areas over in tan land.

I agree on park & ride facilities - they are the way forward but of course it will take the morons on the hill another 20 years to realise their potential. People will use the train if it is convenient to them plain and simple, if you re-linked Armagh and Dungannon to the network the trains would be bunged

[RadioGAAGAA]

How many glider routes are there? Two? You can't really criticise Translink. They're just there to run public transport. They don't get to choose transport policy.

You think translink don't shape transport policy with their idiotic trade studies that are compiled by people so stupid they don't even know the right questions to ask? Seriously?

They've 2 glider routes f**king up 2 arteries and they want to f**k up another 2 with a north-south line. You fancy a single carriageway road all the way from city centre to carryduff? Be my guest. That'll definitely bring congestion and emissions down.

You say Belfast isn't dense enough for mass transit system (which the glider isn't, hence why it's there instead of a tram) but the greater Belfast metropolitan area is almost 40% of the north's population. It has to have something and the glider is small fry compared to similar urban areas over in tan land.

Glider is a mass transport system. Lower end yes, but mass transport nonetheless.

They would have got better value for money by installing the pay offboard facilities for normal route buses.

[Armagh18]

How many glider routes are there? Two? You can't really criticise Translink. They're just there to run public transport. They don't get to choose transport policy. You say Belfast isn't dense enough for mass transit system (which the glider isn't, hence why it's there instead of a tram) but the greater Belfast metropolitan area is almost 40% of the north's population. It has to have something and the glider is small fry compared to similar urban areas over in tan land.

I agree on park & ride facilities - they are the way forward but of course it will take the morons on the hill another 20 years to realise their potential. People will use the train if it is convenient to them plain and simple, if you re-linked Armagh and Dungannon to the network the trains would be bunged

[/b] Would it make that much of a difference? Not that hard to get fromArmagh/Dungannon to Portadown or Newry?

[trueblue1234]

But going from Ballygawley to DGN is fine, but having to travel on to portadown would make it pointless.

[general_lee]

How many glider routes are there? Two? You can't really criticise Translink. They're just there to run public transport. They don't get to choose transport policy. You say Belfast isn't dense enough for mass transit system (which the glider isn't, hence why it's there instead of a tram) but the greater Belfast metropolitan area is almost 40% of the north's population. It has to have something and the glider is small fry compared to similar urban areas over in tan land.

I agree on park & ride facilities - they are the way forward but of course it will take the morons on the hill another 20 years to realise their potential. People will use the train if it is convenient to them plain and simple, if you re-linked Armagh and Dungannon to the network the trains would be bunged

[/b] Would it make that much of a difference? Not that hard to get fromArmagh/Dungannon to Portadown or Newry?

I think you're missing the point. For a start, why would anyone from Armagh travel to Newry to get a commuter train to Belfast?

[Rossfan]

Not yet!
Oh and we won't pay for it or change flag or anthem!

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/large-majority-of-voters-favour-a-united-ireland-poll-finds-1.4752459?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2Flarge-majority-of-voters-favour-a-united-ireland-poll-finds-1.4752459

[bennydorano]

Been saying it for years on here and to anyone who'll listen, I sincerely doubt if ROI would ever vote for a UI - especially with the realisation of what it will entail in practical terms, new flag, anthem police, taking on a basket case economy etc...  Unless there's a hoodwinking done a la Brexit (ignore reality) it'll never happen.

[RedHand88]

Been saying it for years on here and to anyone who'll listen, I sincerely doubt if ROI would ever vote for a UI - especially with the realisation of what it will entail in practical terms, new flag, anthem police, taking on a basket case economy etc...  Unless there's a hoodwinking done a la Brexit (ignore reality) it'll never happen.

Polling consistently shows a comfortable successful unity vote in the south. Its getting the north to 50% that is the problem.

[J70]

Been saying it for years on here and to anyone who'll listen, I sincerely doubt if ROI would ever vote for a UI - especially with the realisation of what it will entail in practical terms, new flag, anthem police, taking on a basket case economy etc...  Unless there's a hoodwinking done a la Brexit (ignore reality) it'll never happen.

When it comes down to it, I seriously doubt if people in the south are going to veto unification over fluff like neutral flags and anthems.

Economy, services and so on, stuff that really matters, is a different issue.

[Rossfan]

Yes J, pockets and economy.
Other stuff is just coloured cloth and awful dirges of songs.

[armaghniac]

Been saying it for years on here and to anyone who'll listen, I sincerely doubt if ROI would ever vote for a UI - especially with the realisation of what it will entail in practical terms, new flag, anthem police, taking on a basket case economy etc...  Unless there's a hoodwinking done a la Brexit (ignore reality) it'll never happen.

Germany is the example here. West Germans were not bothered about unification before it happened But when the opportunity arose they cheered and drank beer, and then whined about it afterwards. I predict a similar sequence of events in Ireland.
Nobody wants to pay more taxes, it is surprising that these polls do show many people willing to do so. The important thing is that the British are made meet their obligations, for instance that they fund the pensions of those who worked for them.
One advantage of Brexit and the NI protocol is that is leading to more data about the actual NI economy, it is behind the ROI but perhaps does not require as much money as unionists suggest.

[bennydorano]

Been saying it for years on here and to anyone who'll listen, I sincerely doubt if ROI would ever vote for a UI - especially with the realisation of what it will entail in practical terms, new flag, anthem police, taking on a basket case economy etc...  Unless there's a hoodwinking done a la Brexit (ignore reality) it'll never happen.

Polling consistently shows a comfortable successful unity vote in the south. Its getting the north to 50% that is the problem.

It isn't a serious discussion YET in the South (or North), the Irish Times article is an insight into the mindset that I think is a helluva lot more prevalent than  people think. If there was an honest debate about the realities of a UI before a vote it wouldn't pass in the ROI - IMO obviously.

[Wildweasel74]

I think a irish Economy pales in comparison to the German one, that's why they recovered from unification. Ireland would struggle for a generation, likely more. So we want rid of the brits, but then want them to fund us to make it work. So much for standing on our own 2feet.