New Timetable from 9 September.

[Inniskeen]

Originally Posted by berneyarms

Not sure that a timetable change would resolve “an operational issue” that caused some trains not to operate - that suggests either no driver or a mechanical issue with the train that was to operate them.

To be fair as I see it there were clearly some timetable issues (primarily around Portmarnock), but IE were very unlucky this week with at least one DART failure and several other mechanical issues causing knock on problems for other services around them.

To blame the new timetable for everything is a tad simplistic and OTT.

There may well be further timetable changes needed but I don’t think they would solve all of the issues the railway had this week.

While there were indeed a number of train failures, as well as cancellations due to driver issues, most of the problems this week were self inflicted and arose from the obsession with increasing off-peak DART frequency at the expense of peak-time DART users, longer distance commuters as well as Enterprise, Sligo and Rosslare passengers.

Without investment in additional track, loops, crossovers, platforms and trains, the current operational mess will just get worse and hugely diminish the value of the railway to all but short distance users who might well be better served by an on-street LUAS rather than an expanded DART operation.

The weather this week (apart from today) was very benign - but it takes very little to unbalance the current house of cards and it was noticeable that the weather was adding to today's extensive delays.