Concern over train station staffing levels

A NORTHSIDE TD has urged Minister for Transport Shane Ross to re-staff train stations in order to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Dublin Fingal TD Brendan Ryan (Lab) said a recent public Joint Policing Committee meeting heard that Irish Rail would be employing a system in which stations are monitored remotely through CCTV cameras. 

“If any situation arises, a person who is sitting in front of a screen bank can call the gardaí and also through a speaker system on the train platform, warn any vandals to cease their actions,” he said.

In the Dáil, Deputy Ryan, who is Labour’s spokesperson on transport, told Minister Ross that if this is a strategic decision to cut costs and keep staff out of train stations, it is “not acceptable”. 

“Quite simply it is no substitute for having a staffed station,” he said.

“Another aspect to this is the impact on coastal communities on rail lines at weekends. Young people are being ferried free of charge on trains to places like Donabate, Portmarnock, Malahide, Skerries and Balbriggan. 

“They board the train without a ticket and know that they will not be checked at the coastal destination. 

“In many cases they are travelling to cause vandalism and to commit crime against these communities.”

Minister Ross indicated to Deputy Ryan that Irish Rail is working on a scheme to be rolled out to improve the staffing presence at stations. 

“This is a major issue and has other impacts such as prohibiting people with disabilities from using our train service,” added Deputy Ryan. “We need staffed train stations.”

A spokesman for Irish Rail said the use of remote monitoring has been instituted from Howth Junction, covering a number of DART and commuter stations.  

“This is designed to enhance our station security, and is separate from consideration of staffing issues,” he told Northside People.   

“We have not at this time changed staffing at DART and commuter stations. 

“However, we are keeping staffing under review as there has been a dramatic change in customer behaviour with customers moving to pre-paid ticketing and ticket vending machines.  

“Overall, only 17 per cent of revenue is now via the traditional booking office, and booking office volumes dropped by as much as 55 per cent in a single year in some locations, as overall passenger numbers rose.

The spokesman said its priorities in determining staffing levels are:

• To ensure busier stations are manned at all times,

• To provide a more flexible resourcing to respond to customer demand, and improve response for customers requiring assistance,

• To ensure a safe and secure environment, working with our live monitored CCTV system, contracted private security resources, and Garda liaison, and

• To ensure revenue is protected, working with our Revenue Protection Unit.

“We will confirm new arrangements in the near future for mobility-impaired customers requiring assistance, which will dramatically reduce the advised notice time, and ensure a better response when customers requiring assistance cannot give notice,” said the spokesman.  

“Furthermore, we have commenced the recruitment process for summer temporary employees in the Greater Dublin area to ensure we have the necessary customer service resources in place for the busy summer months, including additional weekend staffing at busy tourist destinations.”  

The spokesman added: “Together with our mobile Revenue Protection controls, this will ensure we prevent fare evasion from taking place.”