Article on tragic accident in ashington near ashtown

[ThomasJ]

From the Irish times
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/irela...tate-1.2590060

Extract from article

A number of local residents said on Monday they had previously raised concerns with Irish Rail about the dangers of access to the rail line.
“We were very shocked to hear what happened,” one woman walking with her husband said “but that problem of people getting through the fence and crossing the rail line has been going on for years.”
Another woman who was walking on the large open green space with her two small children said she would be concerned about them playing in the area on their own when they were older.
“My two are only small, but I know the teenagers here are always getting over the wall and through the fence and the ditch is just below them, then train tracks that are always busy.”
Irish Rail said there was an ongoing problem with people trespassing on the line at this point.
“We have had repeated incidences of the palisade fencing being damaged. The last time it was repaired was on March 12th, and it was last checked on March 21st and it was intact at that time,” spokesman Barry Kenny said.
“We have line inspection staff walking this line very regularly. Trespass on the rail line is something we always look to prevent.”
Mr Kenny extended his sympathies to the families of the deceased.
Irish Rail was granted planning permission for a new train station at Ashington Green in October 2014, but no work has progressed on the project. A new footbridge over the canal and rail line was included in the grant of permission.

Heartbreaking, thoughts go out to the family.

Second drowning tragedy involving a child at that location.

Station article referring to is pelletstown.

[Jamie2k9]

If the locals raised such issues with their beloved children or even with the community in general it wouldn't happen both trespassing and repeatedly breaking the fence.

Irish Rail cannot be blamed in anyway like some councilors have said and at the end of the day the people in question took the decision to trespass and have paid a heavy price as have their families. While most wouldn't expect something as tragic to happen there is always a chance and this time it did. It is not designed for walking.

[ThomasJ]

Originally Posted by Jamie2k9

Irish Rail cannot be blamed in anyway like some councilors have said and at the end of the day the people in question took the decision to trespass and have paid a heavy price as have their families. While most wouldn't expect something as tragic to happen there is always a chance and this time it did. It is not designed for walking.

Agreed but 3 people have died at that spot now and yet people will continue to take risks in that area.

The proposed station for pelletstown/ashington seemed to factor in the need for a footbridge in the area.

[Jamie2k9]

Bet once the investigation is concluded, normal service will resume by locals.

CCTV and Prosecutions will only deal with the issue.

[ThomasJ]

Surely it would be in all parties interests if a footbridge was to be built over the line with access from ashington? That's a do minimum scenario.

Otherwise you are going to have this continuos risk, have staff walking the line to check and not to mention the publicity from a story like this.

Is it not in best interests for Irish rail to sit down with the council on this.

[Inniskeen]

This area has been subject to trespass, vandalism, stone throwing and anti-social behaviour for at least 40 years. Clearly there is also the issue that the railway bisects the local community which has expanded dramatically over the last decade driving increased trespass risk. Primarily another planning failure but may still be hard for IR to avoid being press-ganged into providing a footbridge despite the responsibility being primarily that of other entities.

[ThomasJ]

Originally Posted by Inniskeen

This area has been subject to trespass, vandalism, stone throwing and anti-social behaviour for at least 40 years. Clearly there is also the issue that the railway bisects the local community which has expanded dramatically over the last decade driving increased trespass risk. Primarily another planning failure but may still be hard for IR to avoid being press-ganged into providing a footbridge despite the responsibility being primarily that of other entities.

In fairness iniskeen, the area in question is closer to ashtown than it is to broombridge and it hasn't endured anywhere near the trouble broombridge has had. If anything it's nearly as quiet as castleknock

I do agree with you though, Irish rail are blameless in this, and if anything more victims because of the bad publicity and the fact they have to constantly check the line and then fix the problem, but this is the reason Irish rail as much as anyone else stand to benefit from a positive resolution on this .

Just fixing the fencing is a short-term fix and no guarantee it will work.

[James Howard]

Any footbridge would have to cross the canal as well. Crossing at locks is dangerous enough so it would probably make things more dangerous to encourage people to cross locks.

But if people are using it as a short-cut, ultimately the only proper solution is to put in a footbridge. I guess this will cost a fortune due to the need to have it be accessible.

[Jamie2k9]

This area has been subject to trespass, vandalism, stone throwing and anti-social behaviour for at least 40 years. Clearly there is also the issue that the railway bisects the local community which has expanded dramatically over the last decade driving increased trespass risk. Primarily another planning failure but may still be hard for IR to avoid being press-ganged into providing a footbridge despite the responsibility being primarily that of other entities.

IE should force DCC to foot the bill or a sizable amount, management need to hold out and to actually criticize the problems in the area and not have Barry Kenny saying the rehearsed and neutral nonsense. The issues are clear and not the fault of IE and they should stop been pushovers.

[ACustomer]

I guess this will cost a fortune due to the need to have it be accessible.

So to prevent accidents which involve people who are breaking through fences and crossing rail tracks, one would have to install a footbridge which caters for accessability, i.e. for wheelchair users. Madness: I can think of a thousand better uses for money to help the disabled.

[berneyarms]

Originally Posted by Jamie2k9

IE should force DCC to foot the bill or a sizable amount, management need to hold out and to actually criticize the problems in the area and not have Barry Kenny saying the rehearsed and neutral nonsense. The issues are clear and not the fault of IE and they should stop been pushovers.

Given the fact that a father and son died in pretty tragic circumstances, I hardly think today or yesterday was the time for IE to be making anything but neutral statements.

Anything else would be inappropriate - there's plenty of time for a proper investigation and recommendations to come out of that.

[James Howard]

It's easy to be flippant about these things when it's an adult that gets hit but it's different when there are children. The fact is that once there is a hole in a fence, children will find their way onto the railway. Ultimately, accidents like this come down to personal responsibility this gets blurred when there are children involved.

This is simply not Irish Rail's fault - they seem to be very diligent about inspecting and maintaining the fence. But it really sounds like the Council, Irish Rail and Waterways Ireland need to work out a way round this issue. Perhaps if in the short-term the walkway was removed from the lock, this would help matters by removing the incentive to take the short-cut.

The problem with Ireland is that there will be an investigation that takes a year, a year applying for funding, another year doing design, a year for consultation a year for planning reviews, a year for tendering and then finally somebody puts up a bridge after somebody else has died in the interim. The whole thing will end up costing about 5 million euro for a 100,000 euro bridge.

[Colm Moore]

A terrible incident.

If there is repeated trespass, as there is a short-cut, then the solution is to build a bridge. No amount of repeated fence-mending is the solution, especially when the short-cut is 100 metres and the detour is 4km. https://www.google.ie/maps/dir/53.37...a=!4m2!4m1!3e2 4km might not be much for a car driver, but it's quite a hike when you have to walk with a child.

If building a bridge, they might as well build the station.

[ThomasJ]

Originally Posted by Colm Moore

A terrible incident.

If there is repeated trespass, as there is a short-cut, then the solution is to build a bridge. No amount of repeated fence-mending is the solution, especially when the short-cut is 100 metres and the detour is 4km. https://www.google.ie/maps/dir/53.37...a=!4m2!4m1!3e2 4km might not be much for a car driver, but it's quite a hike when you have to walk with a child.

If building a bridge, they might as well build the station.

Have to agree on this. Something needs to be done.

[Jamie2k9]

Given the fact that a father and son died in pretty tragic circumstances, I hardly think today or yesterday was the time for IE to be making anything but neutral statements.

Anything else would be inappropriate - there's plenty of time for a proper investigation and recommendations to come out of that.

I agree however they could of been made the point within the statements in a respectful way by highlighting the facts better.

It's easy to be flippant about these things when it's an adult that gets hit but it's different when there are children. The fact is that once there is a hole in a fence, children will find their way onto the railway. Ultimately, accidents like this come down to personal responsibility this gets blurred when there are children involved.

This is simply not Irish Rail's fault - they seem to be very diligent about inspecting and maintaining the fence. But it really sounds like the Council, Irish Rail and Waterways Ireland need to work out a way round this issue. Perhaps if in the short-term the walkway was removed from the lock, this would help matters by removing the incentive to take the short-cut.

The problem with Ireland is that there will be an investigation that takes a year, a year applying for funding, another year doing design, a year for consultation a year for planning reviews, a year for tendering and then finally somebody puts up a bridge after somebody else has died in the interim. The whole thing will end up costing about 5 million euro for a 100,000 euro bridge.

I agree but it does not make excuses for no accountability. I know its a tragic accident but one that shouldn't of happened if people followed the law and in 99% of cases wouldn't of even if trespassing but the there is always a risk.

A terrible incident.

If there is repeated trespass, as there is a short-cut, then the solution is to build a bridge. No amount of repeated fence-mending is the solution, especially when the short-cut is 100 metres and the detour is 4km. https://www.google.ie/maps/dir/53.37...a=!4m2!4m1!3e2 4km might not be much for a car driver, but it's quite a hike when you have to walk with a child.

If building a bridge, they might as well build the station.

No disrespect but are you not just making an excuse because people do something illegal they should get away with it?

Should the law not be implemented?, I will accept IE may not take to many cases but it's about time they actually did as I suspect a lot of line trespassing is swept under the carpet. They have at locations planted secret cameras at locations where issues arise.

I fully agree a footbridge is required however IE should not be responsible for funding it. Yes prehaps let them do the rest but not fund something which has nothing to do with them.

I know a might sound harsh but I don't intend to.

[James Howard]

It is harsh to say so, in light of the deaths, but what sort of example is setting to a three-year old to take them across the railway line. How is a child expected to not go on the railway if that's how their parent is teaching them. So yes, I agree the law should be enforced and stiff fines handed down for people caught trespassing.

However, the council should be putting in a bridge here. There is no right of way but obviously population patterns have changed in the 160 years since the railway was built.

Possibly a publicity campaign about trespassing is in order because people don't really seem to have gotten the message about how mindblowingly stupid it is. Moderate language doesn't really get the message across.

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by Jamie2k9

No disrespect but are you not just making an excuse because people do something illegal they should get away with it?

The law should be implemented. However, if the law doesn't prevent people in engaging in risky behaviour, then something more that a policing response is needed. The 'three Es' of transport safety are engineering, education, enforcement. The first objective should be to provide a safe, legible route and a policing response ("Stop doing that or I will punish you") the last, with education ("Be careful, doing that has risks") in the middle.

Cul-de-sacs are an out-of-date response to through-traffic. Modern town planning demands that there be pedestrian and cyclist permeability.

The station is to be funded by the Pelletstown developers, not Irish Rail. The bridge would be needed for the station anyway, to improve the catchment area.