[Article] Peak time rail line capacity to increase 40%

Maskhadov

Peak time rail line capacity to increase 40%
Joe Humphreys


http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/ireland/2005/1130/103353541HM9IRISHRAIL.html

Capacity on the notoriously overcrowded Dublin-Maynooth railway line will increase by 40 per cent at peak times from early next month.

However, Iarnród Éireann has warned regular commuters that they can not be guaranteed a seat.

The expansion of services on the Maynooth line is one of a series of improvements announced yesterday by the company.

The northern commuter line from Drogheda to Dublin is also being enhanced - with an extra morning peak service.

A new early morning commuter service will be introduced from Athlone to Kildare, and frequency will be increased seven days a week on the Cork-Cobh and Cork-Mallow commuter services.

However, the biggest improvements are earmarked for the Maynooth line, with three new morning peak services to Connolly Station and two evening peak services.

Iarnród Éireann spokesman Barry Kenny said the improvements would boost passenger numbers on the line by one million next year.

Asked whether it would mean an end to standing on trains, however, he replied: "No. Commuter services are about full loading. Every time we put on extra services they fill up, and this will fill up very quickly.

"On Intercity services we want to see an end to people standing but it's part and parcel of commuter services," he added.

Other improvements announced by the company are extra peak-time Dart services to Malahide and Portmarnock; an expansion of services to Gorey; and increased frequency on Intercity routes such as Dublin-Sligo and Dublin-Cork.

A €70 million investment in 36 new railcar carriages would mean a phasing out of "the bum-shakers" in Co Kerry and elsewhere, Mr Kenny noted.

All the improvements will be introduced from December 11th.

A further enhancement of services in Co Waterford, Kilkenny and Carlow, including the introduction of a new commuter rail service from Kilkenny to Dublin, will be introduced on March 27th next.

Minister for Transport Martin Cullen, who attended the publication of the plans, said: "I'm really delighted with the attitude of can-do about Iarnród Éireann at the moment. It has been a huge transformation from a company that was really left behind for many, many years."

However, Labour TD for Dublin West Joan Burton accused both Iarnród Éireann and Mr Cullen of "re-announcing" the same expansion in services on the Maynooth line - known locally as the "Calcutta express".

She said the proposals were "greeted with derision" by the local community when first announced as they were inadequate to meet the needs of a rapidly growing population.

Calcutta Expres rail line capacity to increase 40%:D

dr zoidberg

"No. Commuter services are about full loading. Every time we put on extra services they fill up, and this will fill up very quickly."

That's the problem, these extra services should be to stop the overcrowding, but inevitably end up with more people using the train, so any improvements are cancelled out.

It is a significant move by IE nonetheless.

murphaph

dr zoidberg wrote:

That's the problem, these extra services should be to stop the overcrowding, but inevitably end up with more people using the train, so any improvements are cancelled out.

Huh? Commuter trains are supposed to be standing room only, especially as the train gets nearer the city centre.

Maskhadov

the days of the big train journey are well and truely gone. The fact(theory?) that you can get into the heart of the city without hang ups is the major advantage than sitting in a car

Sarsfield

dr zoidberg wrote:

That's the problem, these extra services should be to stop the overcrowding, but inevitably end up with more people using the train, so any improvements are cancelled out.

The whole idea is to have more people using the train. Although in an ideal world, supply would always be slightly ahead of demand rather than significantly behind.

positron

Maskhadov wrote:

The northern commuter line from Drogheda to Dublin is also being enhanced - with an extra morning peak service.

I wonder which one that is - I checked the new timetable for 2006, couldn't find any new service in the morning peak hour!

spacetweek

dr zoidberg wrote:

That's the problem, these extra services should be to stop the overcrowding, but inevitably end up with more people using the train, so any improvements are cancelled out.

It's a pity I know, but I think it's great because it shows that the demand is there. Imagine what Dublin would be like if all rail lines had a train every 5 mins in each direction or something. It looks like it would cause a major, major shift away from driving. Fingers crossed for T21. Let's hope the government don't screw up like last time (NDP).

enterprise

positron wrote:

I wonder which one that is - I checked the new timetable for 2006, couldn't find any new service in the morning peak hour!

There is one extra service, a 0727 Drogheda - Connolly arriving at 0828. It serves a number of intermediate stations as well.

dr zoidberg

murphaph wrote:

Huh? Commuter trains are supposed to be standing room only, especially as the train gets nearer the city centre.

I agree, but trains shouldn't be full only a few stops into the journey. There isn't sufficient capacity on the route.
The sooner they get DART on it the better. More efficient (a train was 35 minutes late the other day due to "operational problems"), more frequent, better acceleration and braking leading to shorter journey times... it could make a big difference. The Government seems to have put it on the long finger though.