Sir, – Jennifer O’Connell’s excellent article “A decent transport system shouldn’t be rocket science” (Opinion & Analysis, May 13th) bemoans the lack of booked seats and a catering trolley on the Dublin to Waterford train. These are utterly reasonable expectations.
Between the significant urban area (by Irish standards) of Sligo and the regional capital Galway (the seventh most congested city in Europe) we have none of the above or even a train. What we do have, however, is a completely intact but currently closed rail alignment. The populations of the towns served by this line have more than doubled since the line closed in the 1970s.
Most of the major engineering structures required for a modern passenger railway such as bridges, embankments, culverts and stations are in place. Reopening such lines cost just 10 per cent per kilometre of building dual-carriageways.
In a couple of years, with a little positive discrimination in terms of Government investment in our region, commuters between Sligo and Galway (there are plenty as can be seen daily on the N17/N83) could avail of a seat on the train. Indeed, like your columnist, we aspire some day to a cup of coffee on the line and even a booked seat. – Yours, etc,
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ULTAN KEADY,
Caherlistrane,
Co Galway.
Sir, – I am one of many for whom the return to the office since Covid has encouraged me to rethink my previous commute. Instead of spending 150 minutes in the car, I now travel by Dart from Sutton to Sydney Parade with a 30-minute walk. It takes slightly more time but gets me my 10,000 steps. Unfortunately this experience may change in the very near future with the introduction of Dart+ Coastal North whereby passengers of Howth, Sutton and Bayside will have to change trains at Howth Junction, increasing journey times. It’s hard to believe that over 100 years of direct rail service from Dublin City to Howth may soon come to the end of the line. It’s possibly best to get back in my car. – Yours, etc,
CIARA FIRTH,
Sutton,
Dublin 13.