Irish Rail treats its customers with complete contempt

The Denouncer

I get a train to Donabate usually at Pearse around 4.40pm but yesterday I left work 20 minutes late so I went for the next one.
I got to Connolly Station at 4.55pm, and went to platform 6. However the 5.07pm Balbriggan train was not on the display. I looked around at other people, and they looked back at me, and back at the display and at each other. Nobody knew what was going on.

The following Dundalk train at 5.21pm doesn't stop at Donabate.

So I went off to find someone and there was this younger Irish Rail guy in the yellow vest scurrying up the ramp. I went to speak to him and he promptly put his head down and looked at his watch at my approach. I followed him and asked him about the Balbriggan train. "Theres no driver." he says. So I then asked him how I was to get to Donabate. "The next one is stopping at Donabate." he said, referring to the Dundalk train that stops in Skerries and skips Donabate and indeed Rush and Lusk.

So I got talking to some people and nobody else knew what was going on. Every minute people were coming onto the platform and looking at the display in disbelief, scratching their heads. By now it was 5.10pm. Nobody knew what was going on, so I told them some chap told me the next one was stopping at Donabate. Then there was an announcement..the Balbriggan train was cancelled "due to staff shortages"! You could hear the collective sigh of despair from Irish Rails travelling public.

A minute later there was another announcement.
"The next train at platform 6 is not stopping at Donabate, and Rush and Lusk".
At least it sounded like "not". Some thought he said "The next train at platform 6 is now stopping at Donabate, and Rush and Lusk". Literally nobody was sure. Everyone was just looking at each other, flabbergasted at the incompetence. Of course the message was never repeated.
So the Dundalk train came at 5.21pm and I got on. The display on the train was blank. The driver made no announcements, and I got cold feet. I asked some people and they said it doesn't stop at Donabate. Nobody knew if it was stopping this once at Donabate, so I got off. I looked around for someone to ask..not a yellow vest in sight.

I was boiling over with frustration at this point. I had left work at 4.40pm and couldn't get home. But I had to wait. Eventually I got the 5.35pm train to Drogheda stopping at Donabate. Almost an hour after I left work.

I am absolutely sickened at the way Irish Rail customers at being treated, with such contempt it is really beyond belief.
If this was a newsagents or any other business, you'd never set foot in the place ever again.. but we are being encouraged to use the rubbish public transport in this country and this is how we get treated? It defies belief.

Irish Rail, you'd want to pull up your socks as you are a laughing stock of a company. Train your staff, give them some manners, and keep them informed. Give them all a timetable at least. Make audible announcements and INFORM the paying public, PLEASE. Yesterday performance at Connolly was nothing short of pathetic in this day and age.

godtabh

The Denouncer wrote: »

Irish Rail, you'd want to pull up your socks as you are a laughing stock of a company. Train your staff, give them some manners, and keep them informed. Give them all a timetable at least. Make audible announcements and INFORM the paying public, PLEASE. Yesterday performance at Connolly was nothing short of pathetic in this day and age.

With drivers working to role the time table is chaning all over the place so its difficult for them to sort things out.

Its as much Irish Rails fault as it is the unions fault

Duke Fame

I use Connolly station every day and it’s got to the point that I check the website before I head for the train in the morning and again before I leave work. Am I right in saying that it’s just the services from Connolly that keep being cancelled and that the issues are with the Connolly staff only? Don’t know the full story behind the labour issues and while I do admire people for standing up for what they believe is right it’s a pain in the arse being caught in the crossfire.

Polar101

kearnsr wrote: »

Its as much Irish Rails fault as it is the unions fault

Maybe, but it's up to Irish Rail to tell their customers which trains are operating, and where they are stopping. You'd think since they are anticipating "operational difficulties" (TM), they'd anticipate having to tell the customers about it too..

godtabh

Polar101 wrote: »

Maybe, but it's up to Irish Rail to tell their customers which trains are operating, and where they are stopping. You'd think since they are anticipating "operational difficulties" (TM), they'd anticipate having to tell the customers about it too..

I dont think they know themselfs from time to time.

When they do know its posted on their web page.

And AFAIK its only services starting or finishing in Connolly that is affected

The Denouncer

Yeah its not such much that the train was cancelled, but

a) The display just didn't have the entry, it should be there with 'Cancelled'

b) There should be an Irish Rail person on the platform answering questions with the correct answers (I should hope).

c) The announcement should have been made sooner and repeated often with better clarity in the PA

Basic things, really a 5 year old could tell you that

Yakuza

The Denouncer wrote: »

Yeah its not such much that the train was cancelled, but

c) The announcement should have been made sooner and repeated often with better clarity in the PA

The PA system in Pearse St isn't much better...any announcements I've heard there sound like "<feedback>The <kzzt> on platform <kzzt> will be <kzzt>ing at <kzzt>, <kzzt>, <kzzt> and <kzzzzz><feedback>".

It normally sounds like yer wan is chewing the microphone.

nagero

kearnsr wrote: »

And AFAIK its only services starting or finishing in Connolly that is affected

06:30 Portlaoise - Heuston
17:35 Heuston - Carlow

also cancelled since Feb 11th.

Some Cork-Cobh services also impacted.

kevin

Victor

I was actually passing Connolly this afternoon and stopped by to check how things were, no cancellations noted.

However, while going up the excalator from the Luas platform and then using the toilets and generally, I noticed the place wasn't very clean. I approached the information desk to mention it and I was quickly given a complaint sheet and encouraged to fill it out which was slightly reassuring.

Please make a complaint by post or in person filling in a complaint form - e-mail risks being ignored.

alancork

kearnsr wrote: »

And AFAIK its only services starting or finishing in Connolly that is affected

God no!! Cork- Cobh line is shocking last few weeks, no information is ever given, especially at stations along the line, like mine, Glounthaune. It's an unmanned (sp?) station, but there is a P.A./ intercom thing.

When I questioned staff in Kent station as to why they never use the intercom..this is hilarious.. the woman told me they " don't want to disturb the neighbours".. what f*cking use is it so!!!!!!

But ya, trains is the morning cancelled without notice the whole time, buses usually come, sometimes they are already full, so standing the whole way into town.

Then there's the buses that just drive off, practically empty, and don't let the passengers- at the other side of the tracks- know that there's no train, just a bus!

And they still insist we have tickets when getting a replacement bus instead of the train, is this normal practice?

Victor

alancork wrote: »

And they still insist we have tickets when getting a replacement bus instead of the train, is this normal practice?

Do you expect to travel for free?

Victor

Oh, check here http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/travel_alerts.asp and more importantly here: http://www.railusers.ie/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=21 for expected delays.

corktina

cant help but feel sorry for a chap whose 5.07 train doesnt run and has to wait for the 5.35......you'd think they would have had the 5.21 stop specially for him wouldnt you? or would that make that train and all its passengers late and all the trains following it late too....?

The Denouncer

corktina wrote: »

cant help but feel sorry for a chap whose 5.07 train doesnt run and has to wait for the 5.35......you'd think they would have had the 5.21 stop specially for him wouldnt you? or would that make that train and all its passengers late and all the trains following it late too....?

Slightly stupid comment, when you can see the gist of my mail was more importantly in relation to the poor service in informing the customers and clarifying exactly what was going on. Obviously your reading skills aren't properly honed. Read it again.

BTW I heard that a driver called in sick at 2.50pm that day and that had the knock-on affect. 2.50pm? Who calls in sick that late in the day?

Padraig Mor

alancork wrote: »

God no!! Cork- Cobh line is shocking last few weeks, ?

There's been disruption for four or five months at this stage on the line. :mad:

Ham'nd'egger

The Denouncer wrote: »

BTW I heard that a driver called in sick at 2.50pm that day and that had the knock-on affect. 2.50pm? Who calls in sick that late in the day?

Somebody who falls sick that late in the day, I guess.

KC61

The Denouncer wrote: »

BTW I heard that a driver called in sick at 2.50pm that day and that had the knock-on affect. 2.50pm? Who calls in sick that late in the day?

A driver might not have been starting work until after 5 - without being smart, maybe he got food poisoning at lunchtime?

Transport operations are not your typical 9-5 job, and as such drivers are starting/finishing throughout the day. Hence it is perfectly possible to have someone call in sick quite late in the day.

The Denouncer

KC61 wrote: »

A driver might not have been starting work until after 5 - without being smart, maybe he got food poisoning at lunchtime?

Transport operations are not your typical 9-5 job, and as such drivers are starting/finishing throughout the day. Hence it is perfectly possible to have someone call in sick quite late in the day.

No I think he was due on at 3, and rang at 2.50pm. Otherwise there would not have been major issues by 4, which there were talking to someone who got the earlier train.

corktina

The Denouncer wrote: »

Slightly stupid comment, when you can see the gist of my mail was more importantly in relation to the poor service in informing the customers and clarifying exactly what was going on. Obviously your reading skills aren't properly honed. Read it again.

BTW I heard that a driver called in sick at 2.50pm that day and that had the knock-on affect. 2.50pm? Who calls in sick that late in the day?

only slightley stupid? what did Irish Rail say when you complained to them?

deRanged

alancork wrote: »

there is a P.A./ intercom thing.

They had a cut off using it yesterday. it's so distorted you can't make anything out. Best case scenario the bus driver beeps the horn and people leg it out to the road. Other than that you're left to figure it out.

The Denouncer

corktina wrote: »

only slightley stupid? what did Irish Rail say when you complained to them?

Nothing. So, did you re-read my post, what do you think? Is it about another train having to stop at extra station just for little old me, or is it about Irish Rails appalling customer service. BTW I don't know why the 5.21pm Connolly -> Dundalk doesn't stop at Donabate anyway. Why is Skerries the first stop? Makes no sense. Come on with the DART to Donabate and hurry up about it.

jasonbourme.cs

yeah admittedly irish rail is rediculas and what i find even more irritating are those stupid posters " its all about timing " saying how many of their trains are on time etc . enough to make ya sick !!! :mad:

i mean the people who use the trains know what the service is like , who are irish rail trying to kid

MOH

It is all about timing. And they're crap at it.
Their latest figures claim something like 93% of DARTs on time.

Given that they count "on time" as being less than ten minutes late, and that there's over 160 DARTs going through the city centre each weekday, that means 11 DARTs every day are at least 10 minutes late.

corktina

The Denouncer wrote: »

Nothing. So, did you re-read my post, what do you think? Is it about another train having to stop at extra station just for little old me, or is it about Irish Rails appalling customer service. BTW I don't know why the 5.21pm Connolly -> Dundalk doesn't stop at Donabate anyway. Why is Skerries the first stop? Makes no sense. Come on with the DART to Donabate and hurry up about it.

you complained to Irish Rail and they said NOTHING? did you speak to the right people?did you put it in writing?
Not much point moaning on here about it if you havent pursued it with Irish Rail

alancork

Victor wrote: »

Do you expect to travel for free?

Well, tbh Victor, yeah.. Or at least not full price.

I have no problem paying for the *train*, which is in my opinion relatively cheap, and when it comes, is a fantastic service, bypassing all the people sitting in their cars for yonks at rush hour.

Why I should be expected to pay the same price for a bus that gets stuck in traffic, and generally has no seats available, is beyond me. When the replacement bus comes, it invariably delivers me to town too late to make college on time.... So why should I pay?

Its a problem within Iarnrod Eireann, so they should have to absorb the cost until they can sort it.:rolleyes:

corktina

i suppose thats a point of view but maybe Irish Rail might take the view that they wont bother with a replacement bus....just let you use your ticket on the next available train