Rosslare rail route will not get new carriages until later in year

Iarnród Éireann has again deferred the introduction of new rail carriages on its Rosslare route - this time until the second half of the year.

The company has also said it is "in the hands of the planning process" in relation to the creation of a new car park for long-distance commuters at Gorey.

It said it intends to lessen overcrowding through the introduction of a new train service which would depart from Dublin at the start of the evening rush.

These latest developments have been criticised by users of the service who said improvements have been promised on the route since 2001.

According to Gorey councillor Malcolm Byrne, who is himself a commuter, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of passengers using the Rosslare route, especially from Gorey.

While he acknowledged there had been increases in frequency, he said "we really feel that we have been misled for so long by Iarnród Éireann".

The transport company originally used its old-style intercity trains on the route. These trains generally featured carriages where seating was grouped around tables.

However, these were replaced with newer commuter railcars which are generally used for shorter commuting distances and which have most seats in rows, and fewer and smaller tables.

At one stage, the company ran its new commuter railcars on the Dublin to Sligo route as well, but newer intercity trains have now been deployed on that route.

According to Mr Byrne, Iarnród Éireann placed posters in Co Wicklow and Co Wexford last year, heralding the arrival of more comfortable carriages designed for longer journeys along the Rosslare line.

The carriages were to be operational before the end of 2007. However, they were postponed, initially until early 2008.

Then, in a further setback for passengers, Iarnród Éireann chief executive Dick Fearn wrote to Mr Byrne, explaining that the deployment of new carriages would now take place in "the second half of 2008".

Iarnród Éireann spokesman Barry Kenny said a difficulty had arisen because the Rosslare train service had been extended to serve Maynooth after it arrived in Connolly station. However, the new intercity carriages were not appropriate for that service.

He said this difficulty would entail a short delay while additional carriages were sourced to serve Maynooth, and the services would be separated again.

Mr Kenny also said that he hoped the planning application for a new car park in Gorey would be expedited by the local authority.