Sir, - To a great fanfare, Iarnrod Eireann has announced the extension of the DART services to Greystones and Malahide.
Whilst a very welcome development for those commuters who will benefit from these new services, Irish Rail is remaining characteristically quiet about the simultaneous reduction in the suburban rail services on the northern suburban line serving commuters living north of Malahide in such places as Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush etc. It seems strange to say the least that the introduction of a new service should at the same time lead to a significant deterioration in other services.
At present, because of increased numbers using the trains, it is now almost impossible to find a seat on any of the morning suburban trains from Balbriggan onwards. Over the next few years further major population growth will take in towns along this line place as a result of current and planned future housing development. This has and will continue to lead to even yet further increases in the numbers of commuters using the services on this line. One would have thought that to provide for this increased demand Irish Rail would be expanding the services on this line. And yet, what does Irish Rail do to meet the increase? It actually reduces the number of trains!
Suddenly GUBU springs to mind. - Yours, etc.,
John Gillen, Skerries, Co Dublin.