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IRISH RAIL IS making changes to its train schedule from this month that will mean more frequent Darts, but will also result in less trains passing through Portmarnock.
The new schedule will mean that from the 10 September, Darts will arrive at an increased frequency of every 10 minutes in both directions (apart from Greystones, which will stick to a Dart departure every 30 minutes). This will have minor changes to other train timetables.
Although there will be more Darts stopping at Portmarnock as part of these changes, Irish Rail said that a number of Drogheda or Dundalk commuter services will not stop at Portmarnock, Clongriffin, and Howth Junction to free up capacity for the growth happening at stations between Donabate and Drogheda.
One commuter raised concerns about these changes, saying that with family commitments, the longer wait times at Portmarnock almost make their commute “unmanageable”.
The commuter added that there are 2,000 houses due to be built as part of a development beside the station. Part of the planning process involves limited parking as it’s planned that residents would use the rail service.
Irish Rail acknowledged that frequency from Portmarnock “will reduce at peak in the morning from ten pre-9am departures to eight”.
The railway line said that this was “balanced by the fact that trains serving Portmarnock will have more capacity for customers boarding there, [as] many existing services start from Drogheda and are heavily loaded when they arrive at Portmarnock”.
“We will however actively monitor the operation and demand on both Dart and Northern Commuter services in the peak from the change on 10 September.
After the early weeks of operation, we will review this to establish if we are adequately catering for demand from all stations in the revised schedule (both Dart and Northern Commuter), and we will advise customers if there are any further changes arising from this review.
“Longer term, as population grows, we will be investing in this route over the coming years, including electrification to Drogheda, a new fleet of 300 carriages for Greater Dublin area services generally, and other measures to allow us to increase the frequency and capacity of the service.”
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The Russians use the argument, that the crimean population is largely ethnically russian and crimea was always russian. Much like the excuse the British use for occupying the North. If only Coveney was so blunt about the occupation of part of our country by a foreign country.
@Welk wrangler: ““I am glad also to be part of the international community which has convened to co-ordinate efforts to resolve the long-standing issue of the illegal annexation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol,” he said.”
A good bit late there Simon, Crimea was annexed 7 years ago, there is no resolving it now, it belongs to Russia, if you mean you are part of international community who is going to have a talking shop with junkets and expenses then yes, off you toddle.
@Welk wrangler: There is not foreign occupation of any part of our country. Northern Ireland not part of the Republic it is its own country. Only thing in common is the 2 countries share an island.
@Roy Dowling: Spoken like a true Fine Gaeler
@Roy Dowling: you’re totally wrong there. Ireland is Ireland and the six counties are occupied. It’s not British, it’s Irish soil, occupied by an Empire that is crumbling
@Michael Kehoe: Roy does not like to hear that . As West Brit as they come, our Roy
@Welk wrangler: I’m not sure that is factual. I maybe wrong but as far as I’m aware Crimea was part of Russia and was only given to Ukraine by President Nikita Khrushchev after the death of Stalin. Chances are most citizens are ethnic Russia.
@Michael Kehoe: does the good friday agreement state a recognition of two states
Excellent news!
Very misleading headline.
Surely it’s not Coveney that’s opening it.. its the Dept of Foreign Affairs that’s doing it and paying for it.
@Seoirse Ó Staighe: Incorrect- it is a political decision to open any embassy. The staff in the DoFA are civil servants and answer to the current minister.
Any chance he could forget about the PR stunts and answer a few questions here? FG have kept him out of the limelight for long enough.
@alan: Err- he is the minister for Foreign Affairs. The word ‘foreign’ is the clue there.
Why on earth are we opening an embassy in Ukraine?
Do we have significant trade, cultural or other links with this country? Greater than with many other countries?
If not then it’s just a snub to the Russians and to lick the boots of the US.
have your say