Transport

Irish Rail to be address this week by Minister of State for Public and Commuter Transport regarding overcrowding

Wicklow Fine Gael TD, Andrew Doyle, raised the issue of the shortened DARTs on peak Irish Rail services during the morning and evening rush hours in the Dáil after being granted permission by the Ceann Comhairle. Deputy Doyle secured the Dáil debate with the Minister of State for Public and Commuter Transport, Alan Kelly after receiving numerous complaints from rail users in Co. Wicklow. Deputy Doyle was informed that the issue would be raised with the Chief Executive of Irish Rail later this week in order to resolve the issue.

Speaking in the Dáil, Deputy Doyle said, “Over the last number of weeks since Irish Rail introduced their policy of shorter carriages during off-peak times, numerous complaints were made that Irish Rail were running shorter DARTs during peak periods. At the time, I called for Irish Rail to review this policy to ensure an adequate service in provided for Wicklow commuters.”

“From the outset of Irish Rail’s cutting of carriages numbers, complaints have been piling up where ‘peak time’ DARTs were operating with only 4 carriages, and sometimes even just 2. This is down from the usual 8 when it could adequately handle the number of people using the service at all times.”

“Irish Rail said when this policy of reducing the number of carriages on services was introduced; it was to focus on ‘off-peak’ DART services. However, commuters are not seeing this. Instead, they are seeing a reduction in carriages at peak-times, both in the morning and in the evening at times when more are required to meet the level of demand.”

Deputy Doyle further stated, “Less than two months in, this policy by Iarnrod Eireann has spectacularly failed, leaving many commuters on platforms, and cramped conditions for those who could fit onto the shortened DARTs.”

“The Minister of State for Public and Commuter Transport has undertaken upon him to raise the issues raised regarding the DART service in the Dáil to the Chief Executive of Irish Rail later this week. The current carriage issue needs to be fully addressed by Irish Rail as part of their public service obligation.”

“Given the cost of DART fares for single, return, weekly, monthly and annual tickets, commuters in Wicklow and the Greater Dublin Area deserve a far better service for their money from Irish Rail. I look forward to hearing back from Irish Rail as soon as possible to ensure this issue is addressed as soon as possible”, concluded Deputy Doyle.

Local Fine Gael TD, Andrew Doyle, has said that a Traffic Management Scheme for both Laragh and Glendalough are to be examined in light of the congestion that regularly occurs in the area. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has given approval to Wicklow County Council to appoint consultants to carry out design services for the area, in order to alleviate the build-up of traffic.

Deputy Doyle said, “For a long time, the build-up of traffic in the Laragh and Glendalough areas has been a real concern and one that needs to be addressed appropriately. It is because of this that the National Transport Authority has approved the appointment of a consultant to carry out a design for amendments to the existing road infrastructure, in order to effectively tackle this problem.”

“Glendalough and Wicklow Mountains National Park attract a huge number of visitors to the area every day of the year. As the Office of Public Works allow free unfettered access to the Glendalough monastic site, no official visitor numbers are properly or formally being recorded. Because of this lack of key information regarding the volume of cars and buses accessing the area, other forms of analytical data must be used in order to grasp the wider congestion problem here.”

“Once this design is drafted by the consultants, it will go for approval to the relevant parties to examine all of the proposed changes, before it goes out for planning approval. This is a long overdue but welcome development that can improve the overall experience for all who live, work and visit the beautiful, historic area.”

“I will continue to work with the Council and the NTA to move this project in Laragh and Glendalough along as swiftly as possible”, concluded Deputy Doyle.