CIE fare hikes can't be justified
Thursday January 08 2009
Perhaps your readers can report similar occurrences of non-collection of fares on other lines. It's not uncommon for hundreds of passengers returning to Dublin to be able to travel without having to pay a fare, due to either unmanned stations, or the absence of a ticket checker on the trains.
Questions must be asked of the management ability and capability at Irish Rail.
In addition to non-fare collection, the management of Irish Rail continue to provide a poor service to paying customers, despite trumpeting the arrival of new modern trains which they boasted would lead to an increase in passenger comfort and satisfaction.
My brother and his six-year-old son, returning to Germany after Christmas, endured a typical Irish Rail experience only this week.
They boarded the new, modern 0943 train from Carrick-on-Shannon to Dublin.
The refreshment trolley didn't attend the carriage so they had nothing to eat or drink on the two-hour trip.
Upon arrival at Connolly, no trolleys were available or visible to transport three heavy bags to Busaras, so my brother had to lug them all the way down the ramp and across the busy intersection at Amiens Street, being careful to avoid trams and speeding cars and still hold on to his young son. What a shambles in 21st Century Irish Rail.
I'd also like to pose a question to Bus Eireann -- why is it that provincial buses (or some of them at least), can't go straight to Dublin Airport rather than Busaras?
Imagine the amount of traffic that would be removed from the roads if Bus Eireann ran services from the country direct to Dublin Airport?
As Gay Byrne used to say, "There's nobody in charge."
JAMES PHILLIPS
LEITRIM
