IRISH Rail’s decision to defer planned repair work and keep Northside train services running over the May Bank Holiday weekend has been hailed as a
“victory for people power
? by relieved traders in Howth and Malahide.
Businesses across the Northside were informed last Monday week (April 30) that all train services between Connolly Station and Howth were to be cancelled for the Bank Holiday weekend to allow for re-signalling works.
There followed two days of frantic lobbying by traders in Howth, some of whom feared their businesses might not survive another weekend of lost revenue caused by disruption to DART and train services.
Shops, pubs and cafés were already reeling from the loss in earnings suffered over the Easter weekend when train services had been suspended for repair works.
Concerns
Then, on Wednesday afternoon (May 2), Iarnród Eireann announced that planned works were to be put back to a later date in recognition of the concerns of business and tourism.
Eileen McCandless, proprietor of Maud’s Ice Cream Parlour and Coffee Shop, said the u-turn by Irish Rail was the
“best news ever
?.
“It will make a huge difference, everyone’s delighted,
? she told Northside People.
“We have just come through another winter of hanging on by a thread so we really depend on Bank Holiday weekends.
Disastrous
“On Easter Monday Howth was like a ghost town; it was disastrous.
?
It’s estimated that businesses in Howth lost combined revenue of around e300,000 due to DART disruption over Easter, and traders were adamant that they couldn’t go through that again.
Tommy Gaffney, who owns the Summit Inn, the Waterside Bar and Daybreak convenience store, said he had been planning to temporarily lay off staff over the May Bank Holiday weekend when Irish Rail first announced the planned works.
“Our business was cut in half over the Easter weekend, and we were extremely disappointed when we heard Irish Rail were going to do it again,
? stated Mr Gaffney.
Delighted
“The fact that good sense has prevailed this time around is fantastic. The staff were all delighted, and we hope that Irish Rail will be able to find an alternative time to carry out the re-signalling work that won’t affect traders or commuters.
?
Dublin North East TD Seán Kenny (Lab) has also welcomed Irish Rail’s reversal of their original plan.
“While the re-signalling work is important and needs to be done, it was totally unacceptable that the work be done on a Bank Holiday weekend,
? said Deputy Kenny.
“It would only have served to hurt tourism and local businesses all over the Northside, but particularly in Howth and Malahide.
?