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Unread 22-05-2020, 11:34   #1
ACustomer
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Default Coronavirus and Public Transport

At present capacity on all forms or public transport is reduced by about 80% due to social distancing requirements. If the country is to get back to a level of economic activity which is sustainable, this situation will have to be rectified.

If there is one place in which face masks should be mandatory it should be on trains, trams and buses. Yet the minister for transport (totally and predictably useless) is content with "advisory" mask wearing. The trade-off would be a lesser social distancing requirement (1 metre?) subject to being masked.

It would appear that Dublin City Council is planning for vastly increased cycling and walking to work. Fine for short commutes by relatively young and fit people in good weather. Do these idiots expect people to cycle from Bray or Portaloise or even Rathfarnham when it's wet and windy (like now!).

There is much to admire in our handling of the current crisis, but managing the emergence from lockdown looks as if it could be a disaster, in no small part because of the reluctance to take any decision which could involve even the most minute amount of risk
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Unread 22-06-2020, 12:27   #2
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About a month since I wrote the above piece, and still no official action apart from "encouraging" people on public transport to wear face coverings. Meanwhile even the the dithering UK authorities have made masks compulsory on public transport.

On-one from Irish Rail has had anything to say and the head of the hopeless NTA still merely "advises". Maybe the medics, who are the real government at the moment never stoop to use public transport.

Any views from real rail users?
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Unread 22-06-2020, 12:27   #3
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About a month since I wrote the above piece, and still no official action apart from "encouraging" people on public transport to wear face coverings. Meanwhile even the the dithering UK authorities have made masks compulsory on public transport.

On-one from Irish Rail has had anything to say and the head of the hopeless NTA still merely "advises". Maybe the medics, who are the real government at the moment never stoop to use public transport.

Any views from real rail users?
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Unread 01-07-2020, 15:00   #4
James Shields
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Well, I believe masks are now required on public transport.

Friends using public transport report very low compliance. Lots of people seem to put it on while boarding, then either take it off or push it down around their neck.

At present there seem to be very few actually using public transport, so maintaining social distancing isn't too hard. However, as numbers increase, it could be problematic if people don't get in the habit of wearing a mask now.
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Unread 01-07-2020, 17:09   #5
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This is a shambles. If there is a requirement to wear masks, it should be enforced. We are getting a lot of scare-mongering about the danger of foreign travel, when we cannot enforce even rudimentary rules for domestic travel. Looking at enforcement of rules in continental Europe it seems to be much more rigorous.
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Unread 07-07-2020, 18:21   #6
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New on IE website:
Quote:
Quote:
Customers are advised that online bookings for services from the 30th August 2020 will be available from the end of July 2020. Customers are also advised that assigned seating onboard and 'Seat Only Reservation' bookings will not be available until further notice to ensure adherence to social distancing guidelines.
The first sentence is clear enough. But the second sentence would seem to imply that while one can make an online booking for 30 August, one will not have an assigned seat. Could this be correct?
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Unread 07-07-2020, 18:21   #7
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New on IE website:
Quote:
Quote:
Customers are advised that online bookings for services from the 30th August 2020 will be available from the end of July 2020. Customers are also advised that assigned seating onboard and 'Seat Only Reservation' bookings will not be available until further notice to ensure adherence to social distancing guidelines.
The first sentence is clear enough. But the second sentence would seem to imply that while one can make an online booking for 30 August, one will not have an assigned seat. Could this be correct?
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Unread 10-07-2020, 11:09   #8
Eddie
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ACustomer View Post
This is a shambles. If there is a requirement to wear masks, it should be enforced. We are getting a lot of scare-mongering about the danger of foreign travel, when we cannot enforce even rudimentary rules for domestic travel. Looking at enforcement of rules in continental Europe it seems to be much more rigorous.
I caught the Dart yesterday evening - my first trip since lockdown. I wasn't intending to catch the train, but was caught out, and so didn't have a mask with me, so tucked my lower face into my fleece to at least show intention. There were about 3 of us in the carriage, so social distancing was easy, and with ventilation occuring each time the door was opened, and windows to open too, everything that we've been hearing suggested to me that this was pretty low risk. Of course, it would be a different story travelling on a packed pre-Covid peak-hour train, and I would definitely plan to wear a mask.

I was impressed with the cleanliness of the trains - the entire carriage looked like it had been treated to a thorough deep clean - even the handrails sparkled like new.

Of the few that were travelling, most were in their teens, and several did not tag in and out of the stations. As far as I understand, it's mandatory to pay your fare, so it would seem a bit odd to ensure compliance of mask-wearing in a near-empty carriage but not fare paying.
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Unread 13-07-2020, 19:29   #9
Mark Gleeson
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We have raised this with DART management.

The biggest problem is groups of teens running amok
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