PASSENGERS ON TWO DARTs forced open the doors of their carriages just outside Bray, Co Wicklow, this afternoon, causing significant delays to services.

Crowds of people travelled to the seaside town this weekend for the Bray Air Display, which took place for the first time since before the Covid-19 pandemic.

A spokesperson for Iarnród Éireann said a DART was awaiting a clear platform at Bray before proceeding into the station just before 3pm when a number of people forced open the doors and walked on the track.

They said this “dangerous act” meant that trains had to be stopped in both directions while staff and gardaí cleared trespassers from the line and the line was closed between Dalkey and Bray.

The disruption resulted in delays for trains behind and passengers on another DART then also forced open the doors.

On social media, a number of passengers complained of the heat in their train carriages, which they said were crowded.

“Many [people] screaming, roasting, disappointed families on this train…a lady just fainted…we are on the train stuck at Bray Station…people are opening the doors,” one man who was on the second DART to have its doors forced open said.

Another tweeted at Iarnród Éireann: “Can you please do something, we are on the train, it’s difficult to breathe, please open the doors!”

In a statement, Iarnród Éireann said that while people were “understandably anxious to reach the station on such a busy and warm day” this turned a delay outside Bray of just over five minutes into one which has impacted services for up to two hours.

Our DARTS either have aircon or openable windows, and we have no reports of issues with either. A very busy train stopped on the line on a warm day can feel warm regardless, but again, forcing open doors only means that if any customer was experiencing issues, it delayed any assistance, as there are extensive ambulance and medical personnel in the Bray Station area as part of arrangements for the Air Show.

Staff have been working with gardaí to clear the line, which has now reopened.

Iarnród Éireann has apologised to customers for the delay and upset caused, and said it will fully investigate the incident.