Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 18 Jun 2003

Vol. 568 No. 6

Written Answers. - Rail Services.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

279 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the need for extra services on the commuter routes between the various towns in County Kildare and Dublin; when he expects to achieve improvements in this area in view of the existing serious overcrowding on trains and inadequacy of services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17181/03]

Minister for Transport (Mr. Brennan):

The provision of passenger capacity on particular rail routes is an operational matter for the operators in the first instance. However, I understand from Iarnród Éireann that, in the period between 2000 and the end of 2002, it introduced 20 new diesel rail cars on Dublin suburban rail services. This allowed it, inter alia, to deliver a 100% capacity increase on the Maynooth-Dublin line.

The first phase of the Kildare route enhancement will be delivered later this year. This involves the construction of a turn-back facility at Newbridge and eight car platforms at Sallins and Hazlehatch to accommodate additional passengers. In addition, the delivery of 80 new diesel rail cars to Iarnród Éireann has already commenced and the company has informed me that 76 will be in service by the end of this year on outer suburban routes in the greater Dublin area.

The completion of the work on the Kildare line, mentioned above, and the commissioning of the new rail cars will increase peak-hour capacity by 24% on the Maynooth line and 130% on the Kildare line.

Bus Éireann assures me it monitors passenger loads on all of its routes into Dublin from the Kildare area and will respond with additional frequencies as demand increases. Since 2000, Bus Éireann has increased its capacity on commuter routes into Dublin by 40%. Up to 50% of new vehicle purchases under the NDP have been allocated to such routes.

Bus Átha Cliath serves the Kildare towns of Maynooth, Kilcock, Leixlip and Celbridge. Over the past few years, additional resources have been allocated to the routes which serve these towns to take advantage of the bus priority measures on the Lucan quality bus corridor, QBC. In addition, the number of private bus operators licensed to provide services in the commuter belt has increased in the past few years.