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RollingNews.ie

Will increased Dart frequency make traffic in Dublin worse?

Irish Rail has said better public transport is the only solution to traffic congestion.

INCREASED DART FREQUENCY could lead to more traffic congestion in Dublin, it has been warned.

Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann) recently announced that Dart services would be increased in frequency from every 15 minutes to every 10 minutes on weekdays, and will start running earlier in the morning.

Dublin councillor Jim O’Callaghan has said the planned increase in frequencies could lead to barrier downtime of over seven hours a day at certain stations.

Barry Kenny of Irish Rail said he doesn’t disagree with the downtime figures being put forward by O’Callaghan, stating: ”There’s no arguing that point – there will be extra downtime.”

He noted that the plan to increase Dart frequencies “will make public transport better”, adding that the frequency of trains reduced in the past and the new proposals will bring schedules back in line with previous ones.

Kenny said roads are “hugely congested as it is” and this issue will only be solved by improving public transport.

Level crossings

O’Callaghan said the increased frequencies are to be welcomed, but level-crossing train barriers need to be modernised before they are implemented.

“It is important to note that the impact on traffic congestion for Dublin southside commuters, particularly around the busy areas of Sydney Parade and Merrion Gates, will be significant.”

9/3/2009 Accidents at Dart Trains RollingNews.ie RollingNews.ie

The Fianna Fáil councillor said that 160 trains currently pass through Sydney Parade each weekday (about one every seven minutes) and this figure will increase to 225 (approximately one every five minutes).

Recent observations indicate that the level-crossing train barriers come down roughly two minutes before a southbound train passes and up to three minutes before a northbound one. At several points the downtime can be up to five minutes when northbound and southbound trains cross within two minutes of each other. This amounts to approximately six hours daily of barrier downtime between 6am and midnight.

He noted that the proposed changes in frequency times would increase the barrier downtime to about seven-and-a-half hours per day, “effectively closing the road 40% of the time, which will prove dangerous and frustrating for all road users but particularly for emergency vehicles”.

Kenny said similar lengths of barrier downtime will be replicated at other stops along the line.

Train drivers aren’t happy 

Dermot O’Leary, general secretary of the National Bus and Rail Union (NRBU), said increasing the Dart frequency was not agreed with drivers.

4/9/2014 Trains Stations RollingNews.ie RollingNews.ie

Drivers recently engaged in industrial action over payments related to productivity. Union members are set to be balloted by Monday on a Labour Court recommendation that both sides enter into negotiations on productivity. The motion is likely to pass.

If so, there would be a four-month window to discuss productivity, going well beyond the planned start date for the new proposals. O’Leary said expanding Dart frequency would fall under these discussions, but Kenny disagrees.

He said increasing the frequency of Darts is not a productivity issue as Irish Rail is recruiting new drivers.

‘Pre-election rush’ 

“It appears to me that the government in a pre-election rush have announced 10-minute services without taking heed of several issues, not least barrier downtime,” O’Leary said.

He added that a barrier upgrade is long overdue.

4/9/2014 Trains on the Tracks RollingNews.ie RollingNews.ie

Kenny said Irish Rail hopes to implement the more frequent Dart timetable by the end of January.

The date for submissions during the public consultation period about a range of upgrades being proposed by Irish Rail, including increased Dart frequency, ended yesterday. The company received over 2,200 submissions.

Read: Your bus, rail and Luas fares are going up today

Read: A Dart every 10 mins? Hold on just a second there, say drivers

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44 Comments
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    Mute This time its personable!
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    Dec 2nd 2021, 2:05 PM

    ‘Customers urge Ulster Bank to go f themselves and will do what they like with their money’. The audacity of it, I understand like why they wouldn’t obviously want people to, but really they can’t dictate about how or when people solve a problem they created.

    167
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    Mute C
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    Dec 2nd 2021, 3:12 PM

    Can we just remember a few months back Ulster Bank said “don’t worry, we’ll sort it for you”.

    69
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    Mute Local Ore
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    Dec 2nd 2021, 4:43 PM

    Some of the comments here, and general Irish opinions, reminds me of the frog in a pot as the water boils. Right now, there is absolutely no competition in banking in Ireland, the major banks that remain are very high cost and offer no customer service. They will slowly close more branches, cut costs and increase fees and the Irish will have no option but to pay high costs while also saying “good riddance” to their only competition. Or, even more confusingly, the Irish will say “we will use credit unions” or “the post office”, showing a total and utter lack of understanding of banking and financial acumen. This is fast going the way of a Main Street banking crisis in Ireland and it’s being supported by the people who will be most effected by it, crazy stuff.

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    Mute Ballybough Marcus
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    Dec 2nd 2021, 5:29 PM

    @Local Ore: This bank has been a complete disaster for years, as others have said good riddance.

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    Mute Local Ore
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    Dec 2nd 2021, 6:35 PM

    @Ballybough Marcus: What are you talking about? The bank has had no more issues that the big 2, they are pulling out because NatWest thinks there’s no money to be made in the Irish market. Ulster Bank is a subsidy of NatWest who have over €1BN in Assets. As I said, frogs in boiling water, you are bidding good riddance but don’t know the consequence – Irelands banking is now consolidated to 2 banks (PTSB is no where near the other 2) who can apply massive upward pressure, they can increase fees and lower services, exactly like the insurance companies have. Irish people should be outraged and looking for reform in the sector but instead every ordinary joe on the street is celebrating their own misfortune.

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    Mute This time its personable!
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    Dec 2nd 2021, 8:25 PM

    @Local Ore: you’re right it is not competitive a d there is very little option. However, much of that is down to the fact that larger multi national banks would rather focus their attention on bigger markets or bigger potential, that isn’t here right now and it’s been well publicised that it’s an issue, can’t force banks to open here and until one sees it as an opportunity more than a risk or their other options then it’s likely to continue. As for saying good riddance to Ulster Bank, they’ve closed a long time before they announced it, was impossible to do any sort of business with them. The others are bad but they’d shit up shop long before they announced it.

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    Mute Sandra Duffy
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    Dec 2nd 2021, 10:18 PM

    @This time its personable!: My town of 10,000 hasn’t had a physical bank branch of any kind in donkeys years. But the Ulster Bank App has been excellent and the times I’ve had to travel to the nearest Ulster Bank branch have always resulted in excellent customer service so I’m sorry to see it go.

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    Mute John Bradley
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    Dec 3rd 2021, 7:23 AM

    @Local Ore: i know what you mean. But there is Revolut for free accessible day-to-day banking. Just can’t do loans or mortgages with them.

    1
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    Mute Shane McGrath
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    Dec 2nd 2021, 3:30 PM

    More bank arrogance… Good riddance to them.

    50
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    Mute iohanx
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    Dec 2nd 2021, 4:13 PM

    Would help if you could do it online instead of visiting branches or writing letters.

    22
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    Mute paul christopher cox
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    Dec 2nd 2021, 4:39 PM

    What happens if you close your account and still owe personal loan and overdraft?

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    Mute Alan Wright
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    Dec 2nd 2021, 5:05 PM

    @paul christopher cox: The bad loans will be sold to a recovery agency. What little peace a person has from a bad loan with a bank is nothing when compared to the recovery agencies. If you’re thinking this, I would reconsider.

    21
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    Mute Sandra Duffy
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    Dec 2nd 2021, 3:45 PM

    I wonder if the other banks will start competing for the accounts.

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    Mute This time its personable!
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    Dec 2nd 2021, 4:36 PM

    @Sandra Duffy: since there’s only a handful left now Sandra I wouldn’t be at all surprised if their offer was a special one off – you to pay them to join as well as the other normal charges!

    18
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    Mute John Mc Donagh
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    Dec 2nd 2021, 4:37 PM

    @Sandra Duffy: It would be nice but it won’t happen—–They’re a cartel —just like the meat factories and the Legal system!

    19
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    Mute Stephen East
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    Dec 2nd 2021, 2:14 PM

    I could have sworn i heard people having to get accounts quickly ….could just be rumors though

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    Mute Ciara O'Regan
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    Dec 2nd 2021, 10:38 PM

    All them running out of the market as there won’t be any bail outs next time things go bust..
    now we are stuck with three banks that the government will support. But will leave us, the customer frustrated from lack of customer service and branches and p*ssed off with the charges and interests they will charge.
    Hmmmm maybe money in the mattress is the only option here…

    4
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