Greystones DART cancellations to be reduced but Sunday service reduced
The new train timetable, from the 10th December, which has been promoted as having more trains has a 1.5 and a 2 hour gap between northbound DARTs on Sundays in the afternoon/evening. Visitors and residents expect a more frequent service. We should be trying to get people out of their cars by providing a good train service and encourage visitors. This does the opposite.
The top complaint nationally on the new rail timetable was the need for more trains on the Rosslare line. Also many complained about the need for a better weekend DART service to Greystones.
Irish Rail has eventually replied to me to say they will change the instructions to the DART Controllers so that when trains have to be cancelled they will consider the long interval between trains in Greystones and try not to cancel that service. This is a problem, especially at the weekend when the interval is hourly and people have been left waiting for nearly an hour. ‘I hope this will improve the weekend service especially’ said Cllr Derek Mitchell.
The information on the station electronic signs and on the phone APP is often wrong and there are no announcements in Greystones when there are delays. Waiting passengers are left confused. Irish Rail have not given any hint of improving this. I have written demanding that they tell passengers of the next train time if it is delayed. This should be a basic part of running an expensive rail system.
Irish Rail also confirm that consultation for DART+ South, dealing with the frequency and capacity of the line South of Bray will start in the new year. The line South of Bray is the only single track railway in the Greater Dublin Region and much greater planning of frequency and train length is needed. This is urgent as the population is expanding rapidly, much faster than Dublin.
