No extra carriages to tackle high volumes on East Cork route, says Irish Rail 

Irish Rail says that while it is aware of the high volumes of commuters at peak times between Midleton and Cork city, it does not have any extra carriages to alleviate the situation.

It also has not responded positively to requests for earlier morning services and later weekend services for commuters travelling to and from the East Cork town.

The written response was sent to councillors representing the East Cork Municipal District Council who had urged the company to respond to issues raised by a number of constituents.

The request to write to Irish Rail was made by local Social Democrats councillor Eamonn Horgan, and was unanimously backed by his colleagues.

He said: “The response shows that, after a year of raising concerns, there’s been no meaningful progress on the day-to-day problems facing East Cork rail commuters. 

“We’re still seeing two-carriage trains operating at peak times, with passengers at times effectively ‘wedged’ into services.”

He said the problem only gets worse as trains from Midleton travel through Carrigtwohill, Glounthaune, and Little Island, picking up more passengers.

“Commuters cannot be expected to accept this as the new normal.

“People need action, not another explanation of the limitations of the existing fleet.

“I fully recognise that major infrastructure upgrades are under way and that projects such as the Glounthaune to Midleton Twin Track are important for the future.

“But Government and the National Transport Authority must ask what can be done right now to improve the experience of people who rely on public transport to get to work, school, and college,” Mr Horgan said.

He said “this is particularly unacceptable” at a time when the NTA’s increasing public transport fares by 15%.

“If we’re serious about getting people out of cars and onto public transport, the answer cannot be higher prices combined with overcrowded trains.

“Public transport should be one of the most affordable and accessible options available to people,” he said.

Irish Rail’s statement said that currently no spare capacity is available to add additional carriages to peak-time services.

It said it is exploring the possibility of securing more resources from the national fleet and “if this becomes available, it will help it respond to increased demand during peak times”.

The letter said the NTA is expected to launch a public consultation on timetable changes in the coming months, which will provide an opportunity for the public and other stakeholders to make submissions.