Portarlington meeting?

[2Funki4Wheelz]

http://www.laoistoday.ie/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=3806&ArticleID=1851734

Train service continues causing grief
THE dispute over local rail services heated up last Wednesday (October 25) night, when the Portarlington Commuters' Action Group convened in the town's Pint O' Port public house to voice their dismay at the current service between Portarlington and Dublin.
Lead by committee chairman, Stephen O'Leary, the disgruntled group laid bare their discontent at a rail service that accepts as the norm overcrowded carriages, delayed and damaged trains, inaccessible public toilets and inadequate car park facilities at the station.
Although acknowledging that some improvements had been implemented by Iarnr"d Eireann, the group lamented a poor quality service that not only includes delayed departures and an absence of proper sanitary facilities, but dangerous overcrowding that threatens passengers' health. The abusive attitude of railway staff was also a matter of concern.
The Portarlington Commuters' vocal discontent follows fast in the wake of a recent Laois County Council meeting which heavily criticised the Ballybrophy train service. With the 10.15am Dublin train from Ballybrophy already discontinued, Cllr Martin Phelan claimed that the proposal to also lose the 7.15am train would be "devastating," pointing out that up to 25 commuters used this service every morning to reach their jobs in Dublin.
Cllr John Turley expressed his own dismay, describing the early train service from Portlaoise as 'not good.'
Cllr Phelan also highlighted the scarcity of parking spaces at Portlaoise railway station and levied the accusation that, 'CIE seems to totally ignore their customers in western Laois.'
Cllr Jerry Lodge also bemoaned the CIE's lacklustre attitude to the local area, claiming that 'writing a letter to CIE is like writing to the Minister for Health: you will not get a reply.' Cllr Lodge's proposal for the Council to seek a meeting with the CIE Chairman was unanimously supported.
At last week's Portarlington Commuters' Action meeting, Iarnr"d Eireann's service planning manager, Myles McHugh, addressed the group's concerns and promised that action would be taken towards reducing delays and improving the general quality of service. Mr McHugh added:
'We are starting to listen and I think you'll see significant improvements over the coming months. We're working towards reducing delays and people will be genuinely surprised by the new trains we hope to introduce between 2007 and 2009.'

-Ryan Dunne and Seamus Dunne
31 October 2006