Train Cancellation
 

I shouldn't really be surprised. It's not like they've won awards for reliability and customer satisfaction. But yesterday, after moving home to help increase the funds for the purchase of a house, I travelled from Connolly to Wicklow on the monday night commute for the first time in five years.

At the first attempt the failed. I went to get the 16:40 train from Connolly. Low and Behold, cancelled. Driver 'called in sick' as they told me. Contingency plans not high up on IE agenda then.

Let's try again then, went for the 17:25. Again, they done them selves justice. Didn't arrive into Wicklow until 18:55, 20 minutes late.

So, after finishing work at 4pm, by entrusting IE with my transport, I didn't get into Wicklow Town until 7pm.

I knew I would get frustrated at the level of service at some point on this line (like I used to when I got it before) I just didn't think it'd be y first day getting it...

DART to Greystones is always the better option

There is a contingency plan, normally there is a driver rostered to simply cover for people who call in sick, since they are short staffed to start with the plan means nothing. The shortage of staff has been denied yet we know several are in training and more are being recruited in Connolly

Irish Rail are within a fraction of missing the reliability target on the Rosslare line, just one more cancellation and they miss

Dart to Greystones unfortunately is not an option. And really shouldn't have to be an option. Service is scheduled so it should be provided.

Not looking forward to the next few months!

What happens if they miss the reliability target?
 

But that doesn't have any visible, real impact on anything, does it?

Well Irish Rail never publish the numbers

For any 4 week period it should not fall below 98% as of today its 98.2%, just one more and its under the limit


For the record
2 cancellations due to a DART failure
2 full cancellations due to driver shortage
2 partial cancellations due to rostering issue as a result of the driver shortage

85 trains per week

Absolutely, and Irish Rail failing to provide it results in absolutely no sanction.
Once more, we need proper service level agreements.

In these tough economic times, Irish Rail need to be subvented on the basis of each service running or something close to that.