Rail Users Ireland Forum - View Single Post - Daily seat Lottery - Connolly to Mullingar not 17.05 but 18:05

thedailygrudge · 22-04-2008, 13:43

Hi Ballymore,

Yes, a group of complain regularly but Paul Slowey of Irish Rail doesn't really see the need to put on more carriages on the 18.05 Longford train.
In one meeting, he explained to us that it is a fact of modern day life that we have to stand and we are lucky we are not on more crowded services. He then said that you always get seats in Maynooth anyway! This is not the case now with some people standing to Enfield or Mullingar.

This was the email I received from P. SLowey of Irish Rail;

"The new 17.05 hrs. Sligo service is proving very popular with Mullingar commuters as it runs non-stop. Staff undertake a passenger count shortly before departure but even with a number of passengers joining it in the last 5 minutes, I have not received any feedback in regard to passengers standing on board. Every year we undertake a survey of passenger loadings on every single service and trends show an increase in passenger travel which reflects on the good service being provided. Currently we do not have any further carriages available to add to the 18.05 hrs. Longford service but we will re-visit the situation for our next timetable."

ANother email stated;
"Currently there are no further carriages available to boost train sizes but in the medium term, new Intercity railcars will give some additional suburban rolling stock into the Dublin Connolly based fleet which will ease the loadings on some services. However there is simply insufficient carriages to provide large trains on all services."

I find that this is just a fob off & they always focus on the fact we should be so "grateful" for the 17.05 express new trains.

What about the rest of us working til 5.30 with no option to catch the nice trains? Also no option to get home after 19.00. Becuase obviously none of us work that late!!! So lucky we have such a "good service" his words not mine!

22-04-2008, 13:43	#85
thedailygrudge New to the board Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Mullingar Posts: 20	No seating on 18.05 Hi Ballymore, Yes, a group of complain regularly but Paul Slowey of Irish Rail doesn't really see the need to put on more carriages on the 18.05 Longford train. In one meeting, he explained to us that it is a fact of modern day life that we have to stand and we are lucky we are not on more crowded services. He then said that you always get seats in Maynooth anyway! This is not the case now with some people standing to Enfield or Mullingar. This was the email I received from P. SLowey of Irish Rail; "The new 17.05 hrs. Sligo service is proving very popular with Mullingar commuters as it runs non-stop. Staff undertake a passenger count shortly before departure but even with a number of passengers joining it in the last 5 minutes, I have not received any feedback in regard to passengers standing on board. Every year we undertake a survey of passenger loadings on every single service and trends show an increase in passenger travel which reflects on the good service being provided. Currently we do not have any further carriages available to add to the 18.05 hrs. Longford service but we will re-visit the situation for our next timetable." ANother email stated; "Currently there are no further carriages available to boost train sizes but in the medium term, new Intercity railcars will give some additional suburban rolling stock into the Dublin Connolly based fleet which will ease the loadings on some services. However there is simply insufficient carriages to provide large trains on all services." I find that this is just a fob off & they always focus on the fact we should be so "grateful" for the 17.05 express new trains. What about the rest of us working til 5.30 with no option to catch the nice trains? Also no option to get home after 19.00. Becuase obviously none of us work that late!!! So lucky we have such a "good service" his words not mine!