New carriages needed on Dublin line as soon as possible - Troy

It is vitally important that a number of the new rail cars purchased by Irish Rail are allocated to the overcrowded services on the Sligo to Dublin line as soon as possible, a local TD says.

Responding to a parliamentary question, the Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan informed Deputy Robert Troy that the all of the 41 new rail cars ordered by Irish Rail in 2019 have now been delivered and will be introduced into the national network next year.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner, Deputy Troy said that he has already been in touch with senior management in Irish Rail about the ongoing overcrowding issues on many of the services on the Sligo to Dublin line.

“I welcome the fact of the delivery of the carriages. I will be making the case to Irish Rail and have already contacted Jim Meade, Irish Rail's CEO. He is acutely aware of the overcrowding issues affecting many rail users from Mullingar.

“I would be confident that addition carriages will be added to services on the line and aim to make sure that it happens as quickly as possible.

“I have been contacted by people affected by the overcrowding issues, including people who were travelling to Dublin for medical appointments and had to stand for long periods. It is simply not acceptable.

“We just have to keeping pushing until there is a positive resolution and we are going in the right direction. We will continue to engage with Irish Rail to get this done.”

In his response to Deputy Troy's parliamentary question, the Minister for Transport said:

“These new railcars will allow for enhanced services across the rail network when introduced into service next year. As part of ongoing work by the NTA and Iarnród Éireann, consideration is being given to providing new and additional carriages where demand, available carriages and suitable infrastructure support such provision.”