DAVID MAHER,
Madam, - It is now three years since I, as a representative of the Dublin Cycling Campaign (DCC) and regular rail customer contacted Iarnród Éireann (IÉ) about the very poor bicycle parking at Heuston station. Given the planned redevelopment of Heuston, I initially had great hope that things would improve.
Such hope died a silent frustrating death as correspondence was consistently ignored and IÉ staff failed to even attend an arranged meeting on this issue.
Despite assurances to the contrary, IÉ banned bicycle parking on Platform 5 without installing any of the newly purchased racks. To add insult to injury, it then implemented a policy to tag, cut the lock off, and then impound the bicycle of any customer, who due to lack of adequate parking spaces, was forced to lock their bicycle to the railings.
Existing parking for 160 bicycles on Platform 5 has been removed to make way for 12 car parking spaces. A proposal by the DCC that 100 bicycle parking spaces be provided at the front of Heuston was rejected by IÉ on "aesthetic and safety grounds". At present this space is used to provide five car parking spaces for Irish Rail executives - with apparently no aesthetic or safety issues arising. - Yours, etc.,
DAVID MAHER,
PRO, Dublin Cycling
Campaign,
Millmount Grove,
Windy Arbour,
Dublin 14.