The issue of cleaning and maintaining rail stations is an operational matter for which Iarnród Éireann has statutory responsibility. However, I am informed by Iarnród Éireann that a plan for enhancing the appearance of Broombridge Station has been prepared in conjunction with representative users of the station and this will be implemented before the end of the year. Considerable resources have been expended in trying to improve and maintain facilities at this station in the past. The last effort was in 2003. All of Iarnród Éireann's efforts are subsequently undone by significant and sustained levels of vandalism at the station.
Significant improvements in rail services along the Maynooth rail line have been delivered over the last five years and these will be added to in the coming years through the provision of additional rolling stock and capacity enhancements in particular. An increase in commuter services was achieved along this line from December 2003 onwards with the introduction of 80 new units of railcar rolling stock for use on such services. With the introduction of the new timetable in December 2004, all peak services on the Maynooth line will become eight-unit trains, providing a further capacity enhancement along the route. Plans are in place to further increase capacity along the line with new units of rolling stock to be introduced into service towards the end of 2005.
The feasibility of providing an additional station at Pelletstown, along the Maynooth line, is being assessed by Iarnród Éireann as part of a plan for further increases in capacity along the line, including a new station in the Docklands area.
