Iarnród Éireann has announced a new process for major rail schedule revisions which will ensure that customers have a say in timetable changes before they are formally adopted.
The new process will see draft revisions posted online at www.irishrail.ie, and provide a response form for customers to express opinions on changes proposed, or any other schedule issues they wish to see addressed.
The first customers to benefit from this new process will be those on intercity and commuter routes to and from Heuston Station, Cork-Tralee and Cork commuter routes, and regional routes such as Galway to Limerick, Waterford to Limerick Junction, and Limerick to Ballybrophy via Nenagh.
Draft schedules are now on the company’s website, www.irishrail.ie, and Iarnród Éireann is asking customers for their opinions on the proposed schedule over the next four weeks. These will then be examined to identify major issues and improvements suggested by customers. Iarnród Eireann intends to implement the new schedules, incorporating customer feedback, by April of this year.
A spokesperson for Iarnród Éireann said: “This new initiative is the ideal way for customers to see the changes we propose, and for us to hear our customers’ views on the changes, and on existing schedule issues they wish to see addressed. It will be easy to access for everybody, ensuring we get the widest possible level of feedback. We would encourage all customers on these routes to take a few minutes to look at their route and the proposed changes, and to let us know what they think – whether they are completely happy with the schedule we are proposing, or whether it creates difficulties for them.”
Highlights of the new schedule proposals include: journey time improvements, including on some Heuston-Cork and Limerick-Galway services; improved connections between Limerick-Galway and key Galway-Dublin services; improved Athenry-Galway commuter services, and new evening Galway-Ennis and Ennis-Galway commuter service; improved connections between Waterford-Limerick Junction trains and Intercity services; and extra Sunday Cork-Midleton trains.
