Rail Users Ireland Forum - [Article] Not such a 'Beautiful Day' for DART passengers

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[Article] Not such a 'Beautiful Day' for DART passengers

From http://www.railusers.ie/news/news.ph...2009&no=9.html

While Irish Rail management pat themselves on the back for 25th anniversary of the first DART service, there will be no late night DART services to bring the crowds home from the U2 concerts this weekend.

On July 18th a notice appeared on the Irish Rail website listing special services for the 3 U2 concerts in Croke Park. This list included 4 extra DART services after midnight. On July 21st the notice no longer listed any extra DART services, Irish Rail appearing to have a change of heart.

When contacted this morning, the DART operations office in Pearse Station indicated that any special trains which operate would operate before the last scheduled DART service. The last southbound service is 23:28, and the last northbound service is at 23:43. With the concert due to end shortly after 11pm, the vast majority will be unable to reach Connolly station in time. The DART operations office was unable to provide any details as to the times of any special trains other than to say they would run as required but no later than the current last scheduled service.

Spokesperson for Rail Users Ireland, Mark Gleeson said "This situation is utterly unacceptable and is symptomatic of the continuing failure of Irish Rail to provide a service in line with the needs and expectations of the public. Over 5,000 people who could have taken the DART will need to find another way home."

He added "Irish Rail management, despite being beset by serious financal problems, has spent a fortune on all kinds of tacky promotions as part of the DART 25 celebration. Would the money not have been better spent on actually providing a rail service?"

Irish Rail gave less than a week's notice of extra services. In contrast, Northern Ireland Railways advertised an extra train within days of concert tickets going on sale. Curiously, passengers to Cork, Galway, Limerick, Maynooth and Drogheda will all have special services departing after midnight after the weekend concerts, but there will be no DART services, despite Irish Rail's eagerness to tell us what a "crucial role in the life of Dubliners" the DART plays.

I wonder why the change of heart? It doesn't make sense in fact I remember the last time the U2 concert was on at Croke Park they advertised the DARTs a couple of hours beforehand? I remember mark on that train and he was saying passengers were good considering the lack of notice.

Its a pity you didn't mention Kildare line passengers they have been let down again just like the last time!

forum war!!
http://www.politics.ie/transport/879...-tomorrow.html

labour-calls-dart-station-built-croke-park-before-u2-gigs-begin-tomorrow

Just seen that. The headline is slightly misleading isn't it :D

Official Press release with a little plug for RUI!
http://www.labour.ie/press/listing/124836377178147.html

Quote:

Labour Transport Spokesperson Tommy Broughan T.D. has congratulated Irish Rail on the 25th anniversary of the DART network. But he has also asked DART management today to reconsider their decision not to provide extra late night DART services for fans leaving the U2 concerts in Croke Park over the coming weekend.

Deputy Broughan said, “Ireland’s first metropolitan rail service has been a tremendous boon to commuters and workers living along the coastal DART corridor from Greystones to Malahide. Staff and management of Irish Rail and CIE should rightly be proud of their achievement.

“However, members of Rail Users Ireland, which represents rail users across the country, have contacted me to express their disappointment that Irish Rail will not be providing extra late night DART services to facilitate the tens of thousands of fans who will be leaving the U2 concerts in Croke Park on Friday, Saturday and Monday nights.

“I understand that the last Northbound to Malahide DART train will leave Connolly at 23.43 and the last southbound train to Greystones will leave at 23.28. Given the vast numbers of people leaving Croke Park after the concerts, this means that many fans who would have travelled home by DART will probably not be able to reach the station in time to catch the last train. Irish Rail has commendably laid on a number of extra late night trains on the Cork, Limerick, Galway, Maynooth, Dundalk and Drogheda lines to facilitate fans travelling to Croke Park to see U2. But why were similar arrangements not put in place for DART services?

“I have now contacted DART Senior Manager Mr. Tom Devoy to ask him to urgently reconsider this decision and to make sure that U2 fans who use the DART will be facilitated over the weekend.”

According to the irish times they are due on stage at 20:45hrs and expected to end not long after 11, but I reckon that they will not be on until after 9.

The concert in Amsterdam went on for 3 hours 20 minutes!

Heard people on boards mention 11:30 but apparently they could be fined for going over their timeslot!