[Article] Lobby Loudly To Ensure Dart Is Delivered Says Rail Group

[Mark Gleeson]

Derek strikes again

Originally Posted by Leinster Leader 5-1-2006

LOBBY LOUDLY TO ENSURE DART IS DELIVERED SAYS RAIL GROUP
By JANE MULLINS


KILDARE rail commuters are being urged to lobby loudly in 2006 to ensure promised service improvements are delivered.
Sunday shopping trains, the promised DART link to Kildare town and more trains are on the agenda as a national rail users’ group targets the commuter line from Dublin through mid-Kildare for improvements.

Derek Wheeler from Naas, PRO for the national Platform 11 group, said the Kildare Route Project will do nothing for commuters beyond Hazlehatch and he wants the promised DART link to Kildare town to be restored.

Mr. Wheeler said the Transport 21 plan does nothing for most Kildare rail users. His group will ask the Government to reinstate Irish Rail’s plans to bring the DART to Kildare town, linking key towns into the DART commuter network and providing a direct link between Kildare, Drogheda and Bray.

“We will be asking the Transport Minister and the Government why this was cut back,” he added.

The complete absence of Sunday trains from Sallins and Hazlehatch is another priority being pursued as Newbridge and Kildare commuters are urged to form a local group to air their views on train services. Each day around 3,000 commuters use the rail service from Kildare, Newbridge, Sallins and Hazlehatch.

Commuter Tony O’Donnell, a prospective Fine Gael candidate in the general election, is to form a group of rail users from Newbridge and Kildare town early in 2006 to link in with Platform 11.

There was commuter anger in both towns late last year when an early morning train stop was removed. Now Mr. O’Donnell has welcomed the return of this intercity rail link stop between Cork and Dublin.

Now the bigger issue of gaps in the Kildare Route Project is being addressed by Platform 11. Mr. Wheeler said this scheme does very little for Sallins and Newbridge.

“The investment goes as far as Hazlehatch and 2003 promises by Irish Rail to bring the Dart to Kildare town have been scrapped. People in Kildare, Newbridge and Sallins are still going to be stuck with diesel services,” he added.

The absence of a Sunday commuter service will also be highlighted by the group. Inter-city trains on Sunday do not serve Sallins or Hazlehatch with only a limited service provided to Newbridge and Kildare town. Platform 11 appealed for a special Sunday shopping service from Kildare town in the run-up to Christmas but Irish Rail refused.

Mr. Wheeler said the old argument that there was no rolling stock could no longer be used. “We are looking for something as primitive as a Sunday service. The Maynooth line has one for years. The days of people sitting at home with a roast beef dinner are long gone,” he added.

The KRP to Hazlehatch will mean commuters in Sallins, Newbridge and Kildare town “will have a few more trains but there is no guarantee they will be any more reliable.”

Tony O’Donnell has welcomed the return of a Kildare and Newbridge stop on an intercity rail link between Cork and Dublin, removed by Irish Rail in December.

© Leinster Leader 2006
http://www.leinsterleader.ie/Desktop...cumentID=19908

[Kevin K Kelehan]

Good article