Irish Rail is to implement a number of “significant” changes to its timetable from Monday 14th October, after commuters and politicians complained about punctuality issues following the timetable change on August 26th.
Full details of changes will be available for customers on Monday 7th October at www.irishrail.ie and the Iarnród Éireann app (online details will be updated mid-morning On Monday 7th).
In a statement, Irish Rail said the most significant changes from Monday 14th October will be:
- Morning timetables on routes operating to/from Connolly Station (up to 09:30hrs to 10:00hrs approx) will revert to the pattern of the pre-26th August timetable, with minor time changes. This includes trains which previously terminated at stations such as Pearse, Grand Canal Dock and Bray resuming operation to/from these stations, reducing the need for interchanges in the morning peak at Connolly Station. This includes all morning Phoenix Park Tunnel services operating to/from Grand Canal Dock.
- There will be revised running times on a number of Belfast services, including changes to times on the 06:00hrs and 07:00hrs Belfast to Dublin services, arriving to Dublin at 08:23hrs and 09:20hrs respectively. As well as improving punctuality for Commuter services, this will enable a key gap in the Northern Commuter morning service to be reduced:
- Current departure times from Drogheda (with Donabate times for reference) are: 06:48hrs (07:22hrs), 06:58hrs (07:32hrs), 07:09hrs (07:44hrs), 07:41hrs (08:16hrs)
- New departure times during the same time window from Drogheda (Donabate) from Monday 14th October will be: 06:55hrs (07:30hrs), 07:05hrs (07:39hrs), 07:19hrs (07:55hrs), 07:36hrs (08:13hrs)
- Additionally, the proposed 07:50hrs Dublin Connolly to Belfast will operate at 07:40hrs, to prevent congestion at Malahide.
- Some evening Commuter services which currently commence from Pearse/Grand Canal Dock will commence from Bray / Dun Laoghaire
- There will be some minor changes to departure times to a number of DART, Northern, Maynooth and Phoenix Park Tunnel commuter trains, and one Dublin to Rosslare train to facilitate the above.
- Increased services on the Galway, Waterford and Belfast lines implemented on 26th August will be maintained.
- Weekend timetables will be unchanged
Iarnród Éireann said they “deeply regret” the disruption to our customers’ daily journeys and lives which have resulted from timetable changes since 26th August. ”
“In accommodating increased services on the Dublin to Belfast route, and managing overall capacity in the city centre area, the changes had a disproportionate negative impact on commuting punctuality and overall journey times, for which we are sorry. ”
“We recognise the enormous disruption this has caused our customers’ work, education, childcare and other requirements, and how critical the punctuality and reliability of our services are to the daily lives of our commuting customers. While changes made on 16th September improved evening punctuality in particular, it is clear that the impact to morning commuting was continuing.”
“The changes from 14th October will restore morning service patterns, rebalance the timetable to improve punctuality and end to end journey times for commuters, while accommodating improved frequency on a number of Intercity routes, including the Dublin to Belfast route. The changes follow engagement with the National Transport Authority and our colleagues in Translink,” Irish Rail said.