IRISH Rail has reaffirmed its commitment to continue its current manning hours at Kilbarrack Train Station.
The transport company recently received a petition, comprising more than 700 signatures, demanding that the station is not downgraded or left unstaffed.
Local disability rights campaigner Brendan Crean and Mícheál Mac Donncha, a Sinn Fein councillor for the Beaumont Donaghmede Local Electoral Area (LEA), presented the petition to Irish Rail at a “positive” meeting. Brendan Crean said a low level of staffing creates major problems for wheelchair users who have to phone Irish Rail 24 hours before they travel.
“If there is no staff in the station then staff have to travel from other stations to Kilbarrack to put up ramps,” said Mr Crean.
“This is not good enough. Carriages should be adapted to make them wheelchair accessible.
“If more money is coming down the tracks for rail then it should be used first to make existing facilities fully accessible.”
Cllr Mac Donncha said they also raised safety issues at the meeting, including people crossing the tracks at Kilbarrack station.
He described the meeting as generally positive, with Barry Kenny of Irish Rail due to come back with replies to a series of detailed questions. Mr Kenny told Northside People: “We have since written to Cllr MacDonncha reaffirming our commitment to continue current manning hours at Kilbarrack Station; detailing our processes to ensure assistance is available to customers who require it at all times; and that we will include Kilbarrack early on a programme of installing platform-end barriers to counteract trespass.
“It was a constructive meeting, and we will continue to work with the local community, gardaí and public representatives to ensure we deliver the best possible service and address issues of anti-social behaviour at the station.”