Madam, – Brian O’Connell asks why the Limerick Junction to Waterford rail service is the least- used rail route in the country. (Life Features, May 12th). He rightly points out that there was little to indicate that Tipperary station was still in use. In fact, if he had taken the train as far as Waterford, he would have discovered the same situation in all intermediate stations en route.
For years the stations have been unstaffed and look closed for business.
Until recently, trains arriving from Dublin into Limerick Junction were scheduled to “miss” connections to Waterford – a strategy that all but closed the line. While this situation has dramatically improved and there are now good connections, Iarnród Éireann continues to do little or nothing to promote services on the line.
However, perhaps the real answer to the question lies in the fact that there is a direct rail link between the cities of Limerick and Waterford, but yet there is not one single direct service linking the two. If this strategy were to be implemented on other intercity routes, they too would have ghost trains. – Yours, etc,