Docklands - A Success?

[And]

So, over six months after the Clonsilla-Docklands service became operational, can it be considered a success, particularly in terms of:

1. Passenger numbers at peak. What kind of loadings are the peak services now receiving? Obviously one doesn't expect the route to be as popular as the services to Connolly-Pearse, but is it getting a reasonable patronage?; and,
2. Reducing the strain on the existing peak services to and from Connolly/Pearse? Has there be a disernable improvement to the amount of standing space available on the very busy services such as the 7:57 from Maynooth?

[Mark Gleeson]

Peak hour inbound loadings are quite good, reports suggest loadings over 250 possibly over 300 on the two peak arrivals which for a 180 seat train is a good load

Docklands wasn't meant to open till December so it won't be till then the full service is rolled out there are some operational issues which will be sorted then

What capacity was released on the other trains is simply taken up by more people, there is a massive latent demand in D15, train is so massively faster than the bus.

There is one inbound 4 coach train which will be made 8 coach in the coming weeks which will add another 600 spaces to Connolly.

[ACustomer]

I don't know about the peak, but a few weeks ago I travelled from Clonsilla at 1105 and returned from Docklands at about 1130. There was one other passenger leaving Colnsilla, and we may have had a third one by the time we got to Docklands. On the return journey I think I had the train to myself (unless someone got on and off again at itermadiate stations). Not very good, and I reckon it will take the advent of Meath line trains to make Docklands a significant offpeak destination.

[Rashers]

Yes, off peak pricing on the suburban services is a disaster. IMO, to better manage the system, we should pay more before 9am, and less in the off-peak, especially at weekends.
I know this would prove topical at the start, but it works well in London.

[And]

Re. the comments about the huge latent demand in D15, I agree. They really need to move to clock-face 30min frequency off-peak on the Maynooth line as I mentioned in the December timetable thread. In fairness to IE though, there has been a significant improvement to the peak Maynooth-city service compared with even two years ago. E.g. In mid '05 for D15 between 7am and 9:20ish am there were just 5 services to Connolly/Pearse etc...now there are 8 services to Connolly/Pearse plus 4 to Docklands.

Btw is it the 7:22am service from Maynooth that wlll be converted to 8 coach soon?

[Thomas J Stamp]

Yes, off peak pricing on the suburban services is a disaster. IMO, to better manage the system, we should pay more before 9am, and less in the off-peak, especially at weekends.
I know this would prove topical at the start, but it works well in London.

For good reason we argue against this. What you have in the UK is a mix of peak, off-peak and "Super" off-peak. If you allow peak fares to be increased (like on the Luas) all it does is cream a premium off a captive audience. Take this from me, there will be no corresponding decrease in off peak fares but you may well get your wish of increased peak fares and off-peak fares. The only dicounted fares wil be the super off-peak ones, which may not exist anyway.

The argument used by Viola (sic) is that the increase was to deter people from using the service, which was patent rubbish. Since it hasnt done that, perhaps they should revert to the old fare? I know your argument is somewhat different (subsidising off peak with peak fares) but we feel it is a complete no-no in an era where IE are trying every scam in the book (like not tell you about refunds or charging for car parks) to squeeze a few bob out of passengers.