[PR] Luas Letter to Passenger(s)

Victor

http://www.luas.ie/event/index.asp?head=10&doc=152

Letter to Passenger

Dear Passenger,

We are writing this letter in response to a letter that was sent to the editor of the Irish Times on the 27th June titled “Information for LUAS Passengers.” With much regret we feel that we need to respond to this letter and apologise to the passengers involved.

On the evening of the 9th June 2006 there was a fire close to the Ranelagh station. The emergency services contacted us and asked that we immediately power down our lines and stop running all trams on the Green Line to ensure the safety of the Luas operation. The passengers that were on the tram at Beechwood were detrained safely. The driver of this tram notified all passengers that they could go no further. He made his passengers aware of the danger ahead and asked that they did not walk on the tracks.

During unplanned stoppages we have a process that allows us arrange alternative transport. We are reviewing this process to ensure that such disruptions do not affect our passengers in the future.

The difficulties that the passenger in the wheelchair experienced were regrettable and we apologise for the lack of customer support during this incident. Since this incident Veolia Transport Ireland have investigated and located a number of wheelchair taxi companies that are positioned along the areas that are serviced by the LUAS.

Communication on Luas is constantly under review and recent improvements have included information at stops in the form of maps and local details. Luas has acquired an excellent reputation in terms of efficiency and quality of service and this has been achieved through constant review of our processes and a real and genuine focus on customer service. Effective communication and information during unplanned stoppages remains a constant challenge and one Veolia Transport is committed to improve on.

Regards

Vincent Eaves
Commercial Manager
Veolia Transport Ireland

Chris_533976

Good for them for openly apologising.

More than Irish Rail would do.

spacetweek

Chris_533976 wrote:

Good for them for openly apologising.

More than Irish Rail would do.

Agreed. It makes a big difference to the people that were affected.

John R

Connex wrote:

During unplanned stoppages we have a process that allows us arrange alternative transport. We are reviewing this process to ensure that such disruptions do not affect our passengers in the future.

What they don't mention is that their process is only effective outside peak hours. In the event of closure they rely on DB to provide replacement services and allow Luas passengers use scheduled bus services. The problem with that is in peak times the bus services are already close to capacity and DB have no spare buses and drivers to provide Luas replacement services.

In order to provide the shuttle buses for the Ryder Cup DB kept many of the old buses they withdrew earlier this year in store to allow the normal bus routes operate while they have a large number of buses ferrying people around Kildare.

Keeping extra buses for unexpected emergency use would not be possible.

paulm17781

spacetweek wrote:

Agreed. It makes a big difference to the people that were affected.

While I think it is good that they let passangers know what is going on, all they have done is shift the blame. This happened because of a fire so it is not Connex (or new name) fault. If it had been an operational / staff failure I wonder would they be so quick to write a letter.

Victor

I happened to be walking past Ranelagh Bridge that day, all the passengers were walking along the tracks ... towards the fire(?).

Red Alert

John R wrote:

In order to provide the shuttle buses for the Ryder Cup DB kept many of the old buses they withdrew earlier this year in store to allow the normal bus routes operate while they have a large number of buses ferrying people around Kildare.

Keeping extra buses for unexpected emergency use would not be possible.

I'm well aware that a number of RH Leyland Olympians are in storage, what galls me is that the taxpayer who also is paying fares will be relegated to the older vehicles whilst many of the non-resident-for-tax people at the ryder cup will have modern buses. (I actually prefer to travel on the older ones, but it's the principle of the thing!)

The reason buses can't be kept is because of the silly anti-CIE bias of the government who insist on one-bus in one-bus out. God be with the days (mid 1990's) when if all else failed an Atlantean could be mustered up to duty.