TD asks why commuters remain packed into 'two-carriage trains' in East Cork

A Cork TD has queried why the government cannot afford extra train carriages to tackle overcrowded routes in East Cork.

[/url]Social Democrat TD Liam Quaide raised the issue in the Dáil, saying that overcrowding on the Midleton-Cork rail line was reaching "farcical" levels.

“For a prolonged period, peak-time services have been left operating with just two carriages.

“This morning, a constituent told me the train was again dangerously overcrowded, with the driver on one journey having to get out to stop commuters boarding at Glounthaune and Little Island.” 

He added: “Irish Rail accepts that peak-time services are overcrowded but says there are no spare carriages available.” 

Iarnród Éireann sent a letter to Cork County councillors in response to a request from Social Democrats councillor Eamonn Horgan, where they said they operate four carriage trains “where possible.

“At present, the full Cork commuter fleet is in daily passenger service across the Cork–Cobh, Cork–Midleton and Cork–Mallow routes and, all available capacity is now fully utilised,” they said.

“There is currently no spare capacity available to add additional carriages to peak-time services.” They added that they are “exploring the possibility of securing an additional train set from the National Fleet”.

Mr Quaide queried the Minister for Public Expenditure about the cost of more carriages.

 “The Minister's own figures show Ireland collected €32.9bn in corporation tax last year. Why is his Department so tight-fisted with the basics while revenues of that scale are coming in?" he asked.

“How can we have so little to show for such extraordinary resources that these Cork commuters are still being packed into two-carriage trains just to get to work and college?” 

He added: “People in Youghal are in a much worse predicament, with no rail and a shambles of a bus services that would drive you to despair.” 

Mr Chambers said that through the Cork area commuter rail programme, there will be significant progress in the wider Cork area over the next number of months. "Indeed, over the next number of years, where people will see improvements in public transport, in particular.

“With the progress being made by Irish Rail, such as the double tracking between Glounthaune and Midleton and other progress across the Cork area commuter rail plan, people will see the improvements over the period ahead.”