Labour TD Duncan Smith has described changes to the DART and commuter line timetables in August as an “absolute shambles” that have resulted in massive delays, infrequency of service and large gaps in services across the day.
Mr Smith explained that congestion at Dublin’s Connolly Station is leading to long delays and causing people to miss direct services from the station onwards.
The new timetable, which was introduced in late August, increased some intercity services but has led to congestion and knock-on delays on routes that feed into Connolly Station.
Irish Rail has since pledged to adjust the timetables in response to widespread DART delays.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne, Mr Smith said that while making passengers change trains is not a bad thing, there needs to be an interconnecting DART in place.
He said that people are now leaving their homes up to half an hour earlier than previously but arriving to work later.
“Unfortunately, the people of the Northern Commuter line and DART line on the northside of the city and indeed the Maynooth line; they are suffering, and these are daily workers, daily commuters, daily students.”
Mr Smith, who is a member of the Oireachtas Transport Committee, said the timetable changes are forcing people to return to their cars.
He urged Irish rail to work with Dublin Bus on interlinked services.
Fine Gael TD Alan Farrell has called on Irish Rail representatives to come before the Oireachtas Transport Committee to discuss the timetable failure.
Mr Farrell, who is the chairperson of the committee, said Irish Rail needs to explain “serious issues” surrounding new rail timetables.
He said intercity trains along the Northern Commuter line are no longer serving Pearse Station for hundreds of commuters from Louth, Meath and north county Dublin.
While the timetable changes appear to have been introduced to facilitate an hourly Enterprise service to Belfast, Irish Rail cannot “sacrifice commuters in the process”, he said.
Mr Farrell said he has written to the committee to request a public hearing take place between members of the Oireachtas and Irish Rail.
Changes too ambitious – Irish Rail
Barry Kenny, Corporate Communications Manager with Irish Rail, said the timetable changes made in August were too ambitious, but improvements have been seen since timings were changed on 16 September.
He said it is critical for commuters on the Northern Commuter line that punctuality is improved despite some initial successes.
It is not possible to return to the service that was running prior to 26 August, he said, but committed to making further changes and improvements for passengers.
