New timetable for DART resisted

A new DART timetable was handed out to commuters this week, but train drivers are still sticking to the original one - leading to confusion and missed trains.

The timetable was supposed to come into operation on Tuesday. But the drivers have refused to operate it, alleging that Iarnród Éireann has failed to negotiate new rosters.

"Rosters are supposed to come around before the timetable. In fact we are supposed to have two weeks' notice to agree a timetable. Management chose to ignore all that and now the public is missing trains," SIPTU train drivers' representative Mr Tony Tobin said.

He said the drivers' new roster was brought in last Friday, four days before the new timetable. Since negotiations had not even begun, it would be another two weeks "at the very least", Mr Tobin said, until trains were running to it.

"We were told by the manager concerned with the timetable that he couldn't discuss it because he didn't have the changed roster because some senior manager decided for some ridiculous reason to change the timetable without discussing it."

Iarnród Éireann spokesman Mr Barry Kenny said the company had received complaints from customers missing trains. Iarnród Éireann was "very unhappy" that there had been confusion but he said the DART drivers were resisting the introduction of the new timetable as part of a dispute with management.

"The roster is being used as leverage in a separate matter. The drivers are looking for compensation for disturbance because of the Fairview depot fire in 2001 and the East Wall bridge works. They are looking for €2,500 compensation per driver for each of these, so naturally we are resisting."

Mr Liam Tobin, of the National Bus and Rail Workers Union, which represents around 30 per cent of the 80 drivers, said it was "very wrong" that a timetable had been issued without negotiation.

The drivers' resistance was "improper", Mr Kenny said, adding that the new timetable was designed to improve punctuality of trains.