A lobby group campaigning against what it describes as unfair pricing policies by Irish Rail today predicted that parking charges would be introduced at train stations.
Describing these charges as another stealth tax, the Commuter North Rail Users' Group (CNRUG) said this would add to the costs faced by long-distance rail commuters.
The group today met with Irish Rail management to discuss the difference in price from Laytown or Drogheda into Dublin and that paid from Balbriggan, which is the next stop, but within the "outer short hop" zone.
The group claims the annual difference can be up to €500.
The company maintains that fares from Countries Louth and Meath remain good value. Yesterday Irish Rail revealed a series of improvements, with an extra morning peak service on the Drogheda to Dublin.
Fine Gael spokesman on the environment Fergus Dowd, who accompanied the CNRUG delegation at the meeting, said there was a need for additional services on the Dublin to Dundalk route.
He said there was huge disappointment and anger that the new service would begin from Drogheda rather than Dundalk.