New Station Access & Ticketing Facilities
March 2nd 2006
For years passengers boarding at Sydney Parade, Sandymount, Lansdowne Rd, Sutton and Dalkey have been frustrated by having to cross the line to reach the booking office to buy a ticket. While trivial at Dalkey by virtue of a bridge, level crossings elsewhere left people frustrated, unable to cross and many many trains where missed as a result. However Platform 11 has discovered that this frustration is all but over.
Site visits in recent weeks indicates that these stations on the side opposite to the station building will be fitted with 2 or 3 turnstiles, with tickets required for both entry and exit as well as one ticket vending machine. This will allow quick entry and exit from the station without the need to double back. When facilities where upgraded as part of the DART upgrade project to allow for improved accessibility space was provided to allow this. Full CCTV is provided, as is a magnetically locked gate with accompanying intercom to allow passengers with luggage or with a mobility impairment to gain easy access.
The below image shows the facilities in Dalkey contained within the old waiting room on the northbound platform accessible from a new ramp. Installation of the ticketing equipment has yet to take place. The gate, intercom and location of the ticket vending machine are clearly visable.
This is a very positive development and resolves a major complaint many passengers have had ever since the DART service began.