Sir, – I read yesterday morning that the majority of people are opposed to an increase in the cost of diesel and petrol cars.
I was reading this while sitting on the platform at Connolly Station, waiting for the 8.19 am service to Park West, having decided to get the train rather than drive once or twice a week. On arrival at Connolly, I saw an electronic display showing my train as being on time from the usual platform.
As I walked to the platform, I heard an announcement that due to signalling failures trains on the Maynooth line were delayed. I checked the electronic display. A delay of a few minutes. Fine. And then my train disappeared off the display. I checked the Irish Rail app. No information. I looked on Twitter and discovered that my train was running from Heuston. Still no information about this in Connolly or on the Irish Rail app and no staff on the platform to help.
I went out to the entrance and a very pleasant and apologetic staff member told me I’d be better off going to Heuston, but the cost of the Luas wouldn’t be covered as only Dublin Bus was honouring tickets. I am writing this sitting on the 9.20am from Heuston a full hour and considerable inconvenience later.
There is absolutely no point in increasing the cost of cars to discourage people from their use when our public transport is a shambles. It is impossible to rely on and while I can accept that sometimes signals fail, I can’t understand how transport services cannot update their own apps with the necessary information. I think I’ll be back in my car on Monday. – Yours, etc,
FIONA BROGAN,
East Wall,
Dublin 3.