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Unread 01-09-2015, 17:00   #9
Jamie2k9
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,146
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Quote:
What is the objection to making this change year-round?

Up to Arklow, the line has to be active anyway to support the 18:38 from Dublin.

From Greystones to Dublin, it is open for DART services.

Is the cost of keeping Arklow to Greystones open that high?

TBH The Wexford line needs later service, both to and from Dublin. 18:38 is very early for the last train out of Dublin. Only Waterford suffers from a similarly early departure.
I think the 17.36 from Dublin is delayed by 10+ minutes to facilitate the service and perhaps with lower commuter traffic in summer IE feel it's acceptable but no so much during the winter.

It would be good to get an idea of numbers connecting to Stena Line as I can;t see it been massive.

As for evening departures the Waterford 18.35 service is nothing short of ridiculous especially on Friday afternoons where there should be a later service. I accept demand will be low other days. They have a 20.15 to Carlow which returns to Heuston at 21.35. I often question the need for the 21.35 service as it carries low numbers and then another unit runs empty to Carlow the following morning to form the 06.30 service.

Would much prefer the 20.15 extended to Waterford and fill the morning 3 hour gap which may even take pressure of the 07.50 service if it departed Waterford at 09.00. Capacity on the 07.50 is changed almost weekly most of the year from 5 to 6.

They run the 16.15 as a 3 coach on Fridays however they have since cut the 07.25 down Saturdays to 3 coaches usually 6 instead and join them for the 11.00 up on Saturdays and have the option to run a 10.40 service at busy times as well. If there was more of this it would be good for passengers and their pockets.

Quote:
The last Sligo train isn't a lot later at 1905 particularly when you consider that Longford and especially Mullingar are very busy commuter destinations.

Irish Rail really need to explore adding later services in general. With the student accommodation issues in Dublin, Irish Rail could serve an important social need and make a bit of money by running later services to a 2 hour trip radius from Dublin. Not to mention that long-suffering long distance commuters like myself could manage to have the odd pint with our work-colleagues.
I generally agree in principal however I can see from IE's point of view that they would bleed money. One example is the 19.35 to Galway where 3 coaches is more than enough but it's operated with 7 because the rest are required next day. If they run late services they need to bring the capacity back to Dublin so really in most cases viability is based both ways unless they can move capacity around which for Sligo is not easy at the minute.

Then again the 17.15 to Longford could be scrapped and moved lather to around 20.00-20.30.

I am looking forward to the new timetable to see what they do but can't see later service.

Last edited by Jamie2k9 : 01-09-2015 at 17:11.
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