Kildare Rail Users' Group (KRUG)

[Mark Gleeson]

KRUG - Kildare Rail Users' Group

February 4th 2006

Platform 11 are pleased to announce the formation of KRUG - Kildare Rail Users' Group

KRUG will be campaigning for improved rail services in Kildare, Co. Kildare

http://www.platform11.org/local_groups/KRUG/

The Kildare Rail Users' Group is a grassroots forum for users of Kildare Town train station. Hundreds of passengers travel daily from the station coming from as far afield as Athy, Monasterevin and Portarlington. However in recent years, Kildare has seen fewer mainline services, a reduction in the Arrow service and at the sametime a never-ending rise in passenger numbers.

KRUG will provide a forum for the beleaugered passengers from Kildare to air their grievances, develop new ideas and speak to Iarnród Éireann with a single voice. It will particularly look at issues such as timetabling, the provision of increased commuter services (during the week and at weekends), improved access to mainline services, adequate parking facilities, station improvements including improved access for the mobility impaired and any other problems that the commuting public face. It will alsowork with Platform 11 to deliver improvements for all stations on the Kildare route.

The first meeting of the group will take place in the meeting room of the Silken Thomas, Kildare at 8:30pm on February 9th, and all are welcome.

[kilman]

So when should we see the 'Sallins and Naas Rail users group(SANRUG)'
and the 'Hazlehatch and Celbridge rail users group(HACRUG)'

Its a bit wacky that with 4.5 miles between Kildare and Newbridge stations that they did not take a combined approach.

[Mark Gleeson]

As it stands there is a group in Lucan, Sallins and Naas, Newbridge and Kildare

The issues are primarily local, car parking, timetables, connections they are specific to that one station, you need people on the ground as they alone understand exactly the issues

The end result should be local groups all over the place but the key difference now is everyone is in the loop, Irish Rail have had it easy until now as opposition has been unfocused and easily blinded by the reality distortion field senior IE staff seem to create

A representive from KRUG was in fact present at the Newbridge meeting

Going forward the vision for Platform 11 as it has been since day 1 is that local groups are to be encouraged pooling there knowledge and enthusiasm and by combining together to fight the larger battle forming a formidable organisation which can't be ignored.

As some may have noticed a new section appeared on the p11 website on Saturday http://www.platform11.org/local_groups/

Kildare and Newbridge are the first of 2 with a real chance of that increasing, I can see it becoming 5 in the next months

[PaulM]

Not only have they been added, the spelling of their names has been corrected.

[sean]

What about those Commuter North guys?

[Mark Gleeson]

Originally Posted by Lenister Leader

KILDARE RAIL USERS ESTABLISH FORUM
By PAUL O’MEARA

DISGRUNTLED commuters using rail services from Kildare town will have an opportunity to air their grievances through a forum soon to be set up.
The inaugural meeting of the Kildare Rail Users Group takes place tomorrow (Thursday) at the Silken Thomas, Kildare.
Other groups have already been set up by people using the stations at Newbridge and Sallins with the intention of providing a forum for commuters to come together to air grievances and lobby Iarnród Éireann with a single voice.

Issues on the agenda for the meeting include timetabling, communication, service reliability and station facilities.

According to the KRUG organiser Tony O’Donnell the meeting is open to commuters and members of the public alike. There was a large turnout for a similar meeting in Newbridge last week

Mr. O'Donnell said: “I was at Newbridge's launch meeting last week, and it was packed with frustrated commuters. I expect nothing less from Kildare Town. We suffer many of the same problems experienced in Newbridge, and if we don't take the opportunity to organise ourselves we will not see any improvements. Users' groups are a proven grassroots way for the public to put pressure on Iarnród Éireann, but they will only work if people get out and show their support. It's a voluntary movement so we need lots of volunteers to act as our eyes, ears and voices.”

Iarnród Éireann management have also expressed their interest in the output of the meeting.

Mr. O'Donnell can be contacted at 087-9081649 or be e-mail at tony.odonnell@gmail.com

© Lenister Leader 2006
http://www.leinsterleader.ie/Desktop...cumentID=20833