Difficulties experienced by passengers on the Sligo and Westport/Ballina rail routes will continue until 2007, Iarnród Éireann told a joint Oireachtas Transport Committee yesterday.
Addressing the committee, Mr Joe Magher, managing director of Iarnród Éireann, said Irish Rail was stretched to capacity at peak times and not one single extra carriage is available to cope with demand.
"At peak times, like Friday evenings or Monday mornings, there just aren't any additional carriages available at present to address any overcrowding on routes. However, this situation will be addressed when the upgrades are completed."
Mr Magher was responding to a request from Fine Gael senator, Mr Paddy Burke, who inquired about the possibility of extra trains or carriages on the Westport/Ballina route, which he said, was often "packed to the rafters".
Mr Burke told the committee: "Passengers from Ballina and Westport are being treated like second-class citizens. The western routes have consistently suffered in terms of priority behind the southern routes, and with almost half a million customers travelling between Mayo and Dublin every year, surely it's time for these services to be improved."
The company admitted that much of the rolling stock in use on the lines was over 30 years old, with some carriages in use for over 40 years. The committee heard of the company's investment of €90 million into the Sligo line redevelopment to date. In addition to the purchase of new carriages, the company informed the committee of its desire to increase the number of daily services between Sligo and Dublin from three to five.
Signalling on the Sligo line is to be updated over the next 12 months, which the company admitted will lead to further disruption to the service. The improved service to Sligo is expected to begin in December next year. With regard to Westport and Ballina, services to and from Dublin are also to be increased from three per day to five from 2007.
The company was also criticised by committee members for the lack of consistent heating systems on train. Mr Magher said he accepted the points and that the aged fleet made it difficult to ensure consistency, but said measures were being taken to limit inconvenience to passengers.