Student aims to derail train station competition

A CHEEKY campaign is underway to have a neglected
eyesore in Dublin 7 voted as Ireland’s
best train station.

Broombridge Station, which has become synonymous with
vandalism, isolation, litter and neglect, is subject of the ironic crusade to
have it delcared Ireland’s top railway train station in an offical competiton
run by Irish Rail.

The station, which is unmanned, unsecured and doesn’t
even have a ticket purchasing facility, has deteriorated into a blight on the
main Dublin to Maynooth rail line and has become a magnet for anti
social-behaviour say locals.

And now a Cabra student is spearheading a campaign to
have it voted by the public as Ireland’s best train station in an effort to
shame Irish Rail into taking action.

Colm O’Rourke is hoping that his intensive Facebook
campaign (Vote Broombridge Ireland’s Best Train Station) will be successful.

“My campaign is asking the public to vote Broombridge
as Ireland’s best train station, not because it is the best but rather the
opposite,

? the student stated.

“The aim of my campaign is that the publicity will
embarrass Irish Rail enough, so they may actually improve the station’s facilities
and provide security.

“It’s disheartening to see that the community of Cabra
have been deprived of a proper functioning station and I am doing my best to
improve the station for the Cabra community.

?

One thing that both Colm O’Rourke and Irish Rail agree
on is that vandals are to blame for the current state of the station.

When contacted Barry Kenny of Irish Rail, told
Northside People that he was aware of the campaign to crown Broombridge as
Ireland’s best train station.

“We have made consistent efforts to improve the
station at Broombridge but unfortunately time and time again everything we’ve
done has been undone, destroyed and damaged by vandals,

? he stated.

“Any ticket paying facility we’ve installed has been
destroyed and our staff have been attacked at the station.

“We have and continue to work closely with the Gardai
to tackle the problem but the problem is primarily due to the fact that the
station is isolated with only industrial sites in its environs.

“There’s a relatively low footfall which means that a
greater level of vandalism can occur here than in stations in built-up and busy
areas.

?

Mr Kenny expressed his disappointment that the best
train station competition was being hi-jacked by a negative publicity campaign.

“This is a good initiative in which we want to award
the excellence of our staff,

? he stated.

“It’s unfortunate but there’s nothing we can do if
people want to make a joke out of it.

?

The winner of the Ireland’s best train station
competition will be chosen taking into account the number of public votes and
the results from a mystery shopper.

Visit irishrail.ie for more information and details on
how to vote.