Services to and from Heuston station have resumed this morning with delays after severe disruption to commuter and inter-city train services.
Iarnród Éireann said it closed the line between Sallins and Newbridge on the Co Kildare approach to Dublin, at the request of the Garda following an overnight incident. However services resumed shortly after 9am but knock-delays will continue for some time.
The incident which involved a fatality happened too late for Iarnród Éireann to lay on alternative bus services from a number of stations, the company said.
Update: line has reopened between Newbridge & Sallins. Services will now operate to and from Heuston but are subject to knock on delays.
— Iarnród Éireann (@IrishRail) October 30, 2014As a result there were no commuter service between Portlaoise, Portarlington, Monastervin, Kildare and Newbridge to Heuston during peak hours this morning
Intercity services to and from Galway, Cork, Limerick, Westport and Kerry were going only as far as Kildare with road transfers laid on between Kildare and Heuston.
Some services form Carlow to Heuston service were cancelled and all other Waterford services terminated at Athy, Co Kildare with road transfers to and from Heuston. The 8am Dublin to Cork service was cancelled with customers offered accommodation on the 9am service.
There was disappointment among commuters who arrived at some stations this morning, with many turning to Twitter to express consternation that there was no alternative bus service laid on.
Responding to customers on Twitter Iarnród Éireann offered apologies. “Due to the short notice on this disruption we could not source bus transfers for all stations,” it said.
Some customers expressed frustration that where bus services were laid on, they offered a reduced capacity, and delays were taking place as a result.
Iarnród Éireann pointed out that “a shuttle service is operating from Sallins to Heuston, serving all stations”.
