A number of level crossings in north Dublin could be lowered for up to 30 minutes in any given hour under controversial Irish Rail plans, a north Dublin meeting was told.
A community meeting against northern line proposals that could end direct Howth Dart services heard angry calls to prevent these going ahead.
Irish Rail has filed a planning application with An Bord Pleanála that, if passed and implemented, could see Darts between Howth Junction and Howth turned into a feeder branch service, no longer running trains directly to the city and beyond.
Hundreds of people turned out at the Marine Hotel in Sutton on Monday evening to get further information and vent frustrations during a meeting hosted by local Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan.
If warnings about Atlantic ocean circulation are correct, Irish people could become climate migrants
Enoch Burke jailed for third time over refusal to stay away from Wilson’s Hospital School
‘It was awful. He wouldn’t get out of the car’: Why more children are refusing to go to school
‘I love Ireland. Ireland is 100% different to back home. It’s peace, calm’
“We have had a direct train to Howth since 1848, long before there ever was the Dart, before women even had the vote,” said Helen Gilmore of the Howth Sutton Community Council.
“I think we should give the same answer to Irish Rail that Kamala Harris is giving to Trump: we’re not going backwards.”
A second public consultation on the proposals, which are designed to increase train services to communities in north county Dublin and beyond, attracted 1,748 submissions. Of those, more than half (55 per cent) came from residents of areas that would be affected by the proposed feeder branch, a population of about 20,000.
With six feeder trains running in each direction during affected hours, Mr O’Callaghan said this could mean level crossing closures at four points along the line for between 13 and 32 minutes of every hour.
Of those who took part in the second public consultation, 77 per cent said they would not be encouraged to use the Dart over a car following such changes, Mr O’Callaghan said.
As well as having to switch trains, many are concerned about the conditions at Howth Junction Donaghmede station where they would have to do so – the high number of steps on overpasses, frequently broken lifts and public disorder.
“With a population that is ageing, it should be taken into consideration,” said one man.
Another woman said access to public transport was a key part of her decision to move her young family to Bayside.
“So my children can travel to college; so that we can get to work etc. We paid a premium for buying a house in that area so I don’t understand how they can justify that people in Dublin should get less access to public transport than people in the commuter belt. It should be the same.”
In a letter read out by Green councillor David Healy, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said he understood the concerns of those using the three affected stations and of the wider tourism interests.
However, his assurances around further analysis and public consultation – in particular regarding enforced transfers, and seeking an independent “external design opinion” for the Howth Junction upgrade – were dismissed with boos from the audience.
Mr O’Callaghan explained that even if Irish Rail secured a railway order allowing them to make changes on the line, it would still be open to the Government or An Bord Pleanála to impose conditions, such as maintaining existing direct services.
“This [plan] is an absolute disaster,” one man said, to cheers of agreement. “If it goes ahead it will destroy the area like [Dublin city centre] is being destroyed at the moment.”
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Listen to our Inside Politics podcast for the best political chat and analysis
