Do you feel safe on the Luas?

David086

As a regular user of the Luas Red Line at times I don't feel safe and slightly intimidated by scumbags and junkies. Does anyone else feel the same?

Security really is an issue especially in the city centre and nothing seems to be done about it.

Captain Chaos

At times no, I was on it at 16:30 twice last week when open fights started out on the tram and yes right in the middle of rush hour. Yes there are security but them mainly hang around Abby street. THey need to start hanging around Huston- Rialto. Thats where most of the trouble starts. Some amount of scum on the Red Line, it's unreal.

Bobby42

I see aggressive begging every time I use the Luas.

I was approached twice yesterday while topping up my leap card at Heuston by beggars looking for money, I was cursed at when I didn't give them money.

I thought once I actually got on the Luas itself that I'd be safe from this.

I had barely sat down before I was approached by a woman who was looking for money for a bus to limerick.

There should be zero tolerance for this type of stuff. Customers should have a hassle free journey.

David086

Bobby42 wrote: »

I see aggressive begging every time I use the Luas.

I was approached twice yesterday while topping up my leap card at Heuston by beggars looking for money, I was cursed at when I didn't give them money.

I thought once I actually got on the Luas itself that I'd be safe from this.

I had barely sat down before I was approached by a woman who was looking for money for a bus to limerick.

There should be zero tolerance for this type of stuff. Customers should have a hassle free journey.

100% agree. Also see begging on the Luas. One man last week going from passenger to passenger asking them for money, he was clearly on something.

Judgement Day

Can't wait to see what happens when the Green Line is joined to the Red - I expect the Green Line to go rapidly downhill as well. Somebody in the RPA should lose their job if things aren't taken in hand, followed by the Ministers for Transport and Justice but it ain't going to happen. I remember Dublin in the early 1970's when there were about 10 junkies and nothing was done about it and the rest is history...

Jamie2k9

Yes generally but I would have to consider traveling past Heuston once the evening rush hour is over. No problems with The Point-Heuston at night.

I think it has improved a lot to what it was even in the city center.

Cookie_Monster

Green yes
Red no

Aard

Red line past Heuston at night...no thanks. Green line is perfectly safe at all hours.

n97 mini

Aard wrote: »

Red line past Heuston at night...no thanks. Green line is perfectly safe at all hours.

Past Heuston in which direction? My own experience is between Heuston and Connolly is where all the sh*t happens (granted I've not a lot of experience west of Hesuton). Complete absence of Gardai too. Used to be said Gardai were all culchies and afraid of what goes on in Dublin's rougher spots, but I think there is an element of truth to it.

Jamie2k9

n97 mini wrote: »

Past Heuston in which direction? My own experience is between Heuston and Connolly is where all the sh*t happens (granted I've not a lot of experience west of Hesuton). Complete absence of Gardai too. Used to be said Gardai were all culchies and afraid of what goes on in Dublin's rougher spots, but I think there is an element of truth to it.

I have never witnessed any major problems between Heuston-Connolly at night think nights are probably safer than day time. If I am being really honest the Red Luas is much safer than walking past that Londis shop on Westmoreland street.

As for the Gardai, perhaps lack of them is a bigger factor.

Towards Tallaght from Heuston you have problems on the Luas and external ones.

David086

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

I have never witnessed any major problems between Heuston-Connolly at night think nights are probably safer than day time. If I am being really honest the Red Luas is much safer than walking past that Londis shop on Westmoreland street.

As for the Gardai, perhaps lack of them is a bigger factor.

Towards Tallaght from Heuston you have problems on the Luas and external ones.

The Luas does be quiet at night during the week. Most of the trouble I find is between Heuston and Abbey street from about 10am to 4pm. After Heuston I rarely see any problems, it's more the other end that's the issue.

dquinnan

Get the Luas out to Red Cow at various times of the day and night and never feel unsafe. Do get annoyed the odd time at the occasional aggressive pushy beggar, or at the teenagers that tend to mess between Fatima-Bluebell alright. Saw a few of them get caught out by a plain clothes/off duty Garda at Drimnagh the other week which was good to see though!

Gael23

I wouldn't feel safe on it after dark, no

trellheim

Its fine normally IMO. To the poster above, the Green and Red lines will NOT join , they will cross but they won't join , a Green tram will not run on a Red line and vice versa.

Judgement Day

trellheim wrote: »

Its fine normally IMO. To the poster above, the Green and Red lines will NOT join , they will cross but they won't join , a Green tram will not run on a Red line and vice versa.

I know that but to all intents and purposes, from the scumbag point of view, interchange will be facilitated and trouble will follow.

Whippersnapper

First time ever on the Luas Red Line and a girl nearby had her phone robbed from her pocket. She had just started college and moved up from the country. Poor thing was terrified.

ForstalDave

The red line can be horrible so many scum openly robbing or fighting and generanly if you say anything you get thumped really needs constant security on it

mickydoomsux

Yeah, I had the misfortune of having to travel on the red line a good bit this summer.

A horrible experience every single journey. Always full of junkies and other undesirable types and a constant feeling that something was about to kick off.

Routing it through a number of crap areas was probably a bit of an error. It's basically a City Centre Scumbag Express.

Baron Kurtz

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Green yes
Red no

Only four words, but this is a general rule of thumb that I abide by when it comes to Luas travel. Sad but true.

OldNotWIse

I don't feel nervous, but I do get irritated by the fact that such people are let away with the shít they cause for others. Respectable commuter who forgot to tag on? They'll ticket you. Member of the travelling community with a gang meeting you at your stop (as I have witnessed) - they'll let you away scott fúckin free. Reverse discrimination is all it is.

Yggr of Asgard

The only time I felt unsafe on the Luas Red line was when a horde of STT Railway security people entered the tram together with Customer Service Staff to check tickets.

I understand that they are there to intimidate everybody to ensure compliance but once you see them dragging someone out of the luas onto the ground and then across the track and finally sitting with 6 people all over him, that is when I feel unsafe.

Gardaí only showed up 30 minutes later and for the whole time the goons keep the person on the ground with his hands behind his back despite the guy clearly having a hard time breathing.

I understand that overwhelming force is sometimes needed but this was just going too far. The guy had a ticket he just did not like that the goons were verbally unfriendly to his girlfriend when there was some sort of challenge with her ticket.

They then proceeded trying to intimidate me because I insisted to stay there until the Gardaí showed to tell them what I saw.

Instead of conflict resolution they used overwhelming force that would make a Academi (previous know as Blackwater) hired goon proud.

That is when I feel unsafe!

Muahahaha

ForstalDave wrote: »

The red line can be horrible so many scum openly robbing or fighting and generanly if you say anything you get thumped really needs constant security on it

If they want to sort out the problems and send a message out to the scummers they literally would need security on every tram at this stage.

I think the problem is that the beefed up Eastern European security guys are actually afraid of large gangs tracksuit wearing teenagers and from what I've seen they'd prefer spend their time making sure everyone but them has a valid ticket.

At the end of the day what the city needs is a dedicated transport police to travel on the Luas, Dublin Bus and the DART as well as policing Busaras, Connolly, Hueston (both inside and out on the Luas platform). Bus and train stations the world over attract vagrants who make passengers uncomfortable by begging before even getting to the station. When people are on a tram they are a captive market for beggars as they can't go anywhere.

It'll be interesting to see what happens when the Luas extension opens and suddenly the ghetto that is Broombridge will have a direct rail link with leafy Ranelagh.

Celly Smunt

I still don't understand why turnstiles weren't built on the platforms,for the little bit of investment it would probably have saved them on the security side of things.

The Irish way I suppose.

GreenwayM

Tallaght Route No -especially late at night . . .

Judgement Day

Sadly things will just be left to fester. Our politicians are like some posters here - in denial - ah shure the trams are nice and shiny and when they travelled on the first day with Minister Seamus Brennan/Noel Dempsey/Leo Varadkar it was wonderful..:rolleyes:

Celly Smunt

GreenwayM wrote: »

Tallaght Route No -especially late at night . . .

In fairness,I've travelled late night on the luas numerous times and never had a problem from tallaght-red cow/kylemore both ways,everything seems to go downhill around Blackhorse onwards.

cgcsb

The open system like you find in the German speaking world was selected for practicality

Celly Smunt

cgcsb wrote: »

The open system like you find in the German speaking world was selected for practicality

Oh yes,they somehow forgot about the massive amount of security at each station though.

cgcsb

Celly Smunt wrote: »

Oh yes,they somehow forgot about the massive amount of security at each station though.

Very little visable security in German sbhan and ubhan systems

punisher5112

Germany have huge gang problems but the police do get respect and usually are not messed with as they are armed and kitted out properly.


Luas, bus or train they all need security and the judges and courts need to have things changed.

Everybody including politicians are afraid to come out and say things need to be done as they are afraid they will be called racist or discriminating against certain types.

Stop giving free travel to these scum and if they cause hassel boot them off and ban them.

Dravokivich

One should have a reasonable expectation to feel save in public, but never take it for granted regardless of where you are.

Celly Smunt

cgcsb wrote: »

Very little visable security in German sbhan and ubhan systems

Every station has a security hut,plenty of undercover security and heavy on cctv. Also not uncommon to have the police walk through and hop from stop to stop.

The Ubahn and Sbahn don't have security on the train itself, however trouble is deterred from entering the platforms in the first place.

Larry Wildman

Yes on the Green Line.

No on the Red Line.

Two things definitely appropriately named...Red for danger!

Yggr of Asgard

Celly Smunt wrote: »

Every station has a security hut,plenty of undercover security and heavy on cctv. Also not uncommon to have the police walk through and hop from stop to stop.

The Ubahn and Sbahn don't have security on the train itself, however trouble is deterred from entering the platforms in the first place.

And if trouble comes up, one of the responsible police forces usualy responds within short time frames.

On German trains depending under which mandate they operate you can have up to 3 different police forces in play.

They have the federal police (uniformed) which is acting as railway police in trains and stations, the state police which again does trains/stations/regional/local transport and in some cities the city police (uniformed but no weapons) which is dealing with beggers etc.. Plus there is loads of undercover work going on.

Traveling without a ticket in Germany is also criminal offence however the company operating the transport can deceide if they want to press charges.

However due to the german law requiring you to have identification papers they don't have bogus info, if you don't have id than theyn call the police who very quickly finds out who you are. And if you are a seral offender it's in the public interest to press criminal charges.

However all of that does not realy work because according to the federal crime statistic still reports a large amount of acts with an estimated 3.5% of total travelers not having a valid ticket.

I know sounds bad 3.5%, i'm sure in the eveing on the red line it's more than 75%.

stehyl15

Yes i feel safe on the luas after dark. First of all i hate people who complain that hueston, conolly are full of scumbags and theyre a disgrace to the country and they dont feel safe blah blah blah. Look every main train/bus station or major transport interchange in europe are in kips of areas with all sorts of characters junkies, beggers and pickpockets. Hold on to your handbags people this is nothing new and is not unique to Ireland. People hold on to their handbags and just get with their buisness. It is not a problem and is one of the drawbacks of public transport hubs it is something we just have get used and live with man up.

AlekSmart

stehyl15 wrote: »

Yes I feel safe on the luas after dark. First of all i hate people who complain that hueston, conolly are full of scumbags and theyre a disgrace to the country and they dont feel safe blah blah blah. Look every main train/bus station or major transport interchange in europe are in kips of areas with all sorts of characters junkies, beggers and pickpockets. Hold on to your handbags people this is nothing new and is not unique to Ireland. People hold on to their handbags and just get with their buisness. It is not a problem and is one of the drawbacks of public transport hubs it is something we just have get used and live with man up.

Hating people for highlighting and complaining about a very real problem is surely a tad OTT ?

I would suggest that denying the existence of the issues or "getting used to it" and being told to "man up" is all very well for those of combatative frame of mind,but for those who simply want to use a Public Service without being subject to savage and abberant behaviour then I'll say No Thanks.