Calls for full bus and rail timetables to be resumed amid increased demand

A restoration of bus and rail services to their full weekday schedules in Dublin has been called for by The Dublin Commuter Coalition.

This request to the Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan and the National Transport Authority comes as the demand for public transport has increased considerably over the past few weeks, the advocacy group for sustainable transport in Greater Dublin have said.

The group has said despite demand growing, capacity remains much lower than what it was in January when weekday services were reduced.

“As a result, there have been widespread reports of overcrowding and delayed journeys,” a statement from the group said.

Public transport is currently operating at 25pc capacity, and should be used for necessary journeys only, public health advice states.

Timetables for Dublin Bus and Go Ahead Bus in Dublin are currently based on Saturday timetables with increased services during the early morning peak.

Transport for Ireland says that supply reflects current demand for public transport.

“25pc seat availability for Covid-19 reasons obviously puts a huge strain on capacity but reducing that capacity further by running weekend timetables instead of full Monday-Friday timetables is exacerbating the issue and causing unnecessary hardship for people making essential journeys on public transport,” Dublin Commuter Coalition PRO, Feljin Jose, said.

“There are many more people commuting to work than previous lockdowns and now the schools have fully returned too”.

Cian Duffy, an essential worker who cannot work from home, said: “My regular trains have both been reduced from seven cars to four since the start of January, along with a reduction in the number of peak-time trains.

“This has led to crowding well beyond the allowed capacity for months now, and despite staff taking headcounts, and my own reports to Irish Rail, there has been no improvement. The only answer you get is a copy and paste statement about 25pc capacity - even though they are maybe offering 5pc with the reduced frequencies and train sizes.

“I have returned to driving, but this is not sustainable from an environmental perspective - and many others may not have a car or the funds to use one daily anyway," Cian said.

Jason Cullen of Dublin Commuter Coalition is also an essential worker and has been travelling on the DART and the bus throughout the pandemic.

He said: “There has been a noticeable increase in usage of both DART and bus services since the full return of schools. At the beginning of the pandemic, I would often be the only one on the carriage by Connolly Station but that is no longer the case.

“Banks of seats are now regularly occupied by groups of students & working colleagues travelling together which has made social distancing as per the signage impossible. If Iarnród Éireann and Dublin Bus expect to keep capacity at 25pc then a full service needs to be reinstated in order to deal with the additional passengers.”

Online Editors