IRISH RAIL – Q & A ON THE MAYNOOTH-CONNOLLY SERVICES

[philip]

Deputy Burton recently met Mr. Barry Kenny of CIE to discuss some of the most frequent questions she is asked about the service from Maynooth to town.

Here are his answers:

Parking facilities at Clonsilla

We don't currently have any land at Clonsilla suitable for car parking. However, we are discussing with Fingal County Council the possibility of converting a stretch of land along the Hansfield Road, currently used haphazardly for parking. If this is possible, it may accommodate up to 120 spaces.

Newcomen Line to Docklands nearer DCU?

This line is not nearer DCU, in fact, it is further away.

Exact locations of proposed Phoenix Park and Pelletstown Stations

Phoenix Park is located mid way between Ashtown and Castleknock. A high retaining wall is currently being built at that location which is visible from the road. Pelletstown is not yet finally decided - likely location is a couple of hundred metres west of Rathoath Road.

Are there plans for pedestrian bridges at Clonsilla and Kirkpatrick Bridge?

We hope to very shortly submit planning permission applications for pedestrian bridges at these locations.

Sunday services on Maynooth line?

As you will understand, our priority has been to increase peak services in the first instance. However, we now plan to expand off-peak services as well, including Sunday services. We intend to have an increase in frequency in Sunday services from December 2006, and we will confirm details on this closer to the time.

Possibility of feeder bus services from Ongar / Little Pace to Clonsilla?

There has generally been a low patronage and high cost associated with feeder bus services where introduced. However, we will keep the matter under review with Dublin Bus, particularly in the context of their network review. Currently, many customers from Ongar in particular choose to use existing bus services from their area to Clonsilla and then transfer to rail services to the city centre.

With increased frequency of services, can length of time of barriers being down be shortened to ease traffic congestion?

I have asked our signalling engineers for details on this, and I will revert to you as soon as I have information.

Can better lighting, cycle parking and CCTV be introduced at stations on Maynooth line?

Sheltered and visible cycle parking is available at all stations on the line excluding Drumcondra and Broombridge, and is under-utilised at present. However, if there is an increase in demand, we will be happy to provide for that. CCTV is present at every station on the route, excluding Broombridge. Lighting was improved with the 2001 investment in the line. However, if there are specific issues with individual stations, we would be happy to review lighting provision.

Can the 08.40hrs Maynooth-Connolly be extended through the city centre?

Within our present timetable, it cannot be accommodated south of Connolly. However, we will review this as part of our planning for the December 2006 timetable change.

There are teenagers drinking by Coolmine Station, vandalism to wall - can more secure barrier be introduced?

We are endeavouring to progress this with the local authority. However, in the interim, we have increased security patrols in the evening throughout the week to address these issues, and locally we are improving fencing.

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[Mark Gleeson]

The obvious questions are missed

The mid afternoon gap
The late evening situation

[Thomas J Stamp]

Not from a TD's perspective. There are teenagers drining at a wall = law and order votes

We need more cycle places (which are "already there and under utilised) = Green Vote

We need to have those pesky barriers raised more quickly = Car vote

And dosnt the 39 bus, a high fequency route, stop at Clonsilla station on the way to Ongar? A case of a Letter from a Successfull Polititian? (announce the new road is coming just before it opens)

But then again, I'm a Cynic.

[philip]

I'm glad any politician is keeping the issues in the media to be honest. Now, the issues about vandalism are real, I've seen what the little sh!tes have done at Coolmine and cycle places at Clonsilla are extremely limited-I've had to lock my bike inside the station building twice because of this.

[markpb]

There has generally been a low patronage and high cost associated with feeder bus services where introduced. However, we will keep the matter under review with Dublin Bus, particularly in the context of their network review.

This just sums up everything that is wrong with public transport in Dublin. We tried it before and it didn't work so it must be the customers fault. There's no possibility that it's because DB's idea of a feeder bus service is somewhat retarded. I laugh everytime I hear the 103 and 104 called dart feeders.

High frequency, short-hop services with bus priority lanes and junctions make a good feeder service. Low frequency (the 104 runs 5 times on Sundays), unreliable services that don't in any way match the train timetable and cover a big chunk of north dublin with all the ensueing traffic jams are not a good example.

[PaulM]

Broombridge stuff moved to thread in Customer service section.