Train commuters,what you going to do? (Merged with Commuter Hell thread)

Hauk

Drove past my usual bus stop(top of Selskar Road) I use for going to college, and there was about 10/15 people waiting at it. That's nothing I've ever seen before.

Waved to the three lads on the bikes this morning too. ^_^

johndoe21

how about a bus pickup point at murrays? or the supervalue carpark for buses. we need to have buses just going from lusk. i managed to jump on the 33x this morning at 7am. was in town for 7.30 which was good but alot of people waiting at the bus stops after mine.

dcr22B

johndoe21 wrote: »

how about a bus pickup point at murrays? or the supervalue carpark for buses. we need to have buses just going from lusk. i managed to jump on the 33x this morning at 7am. was in town for 7.30 which was good but alot of people waiting at the bus stops after mine.

Agree 100% but can you genuinely see it happening?

johndoe21

maybe, if everyone shouts about it!!

Peckham

I rang them this morning to make this very point. Got transferred to a voicemail for someone named Phelim. Left a message for him to call me, no response yet.

Micamaca

meath commuter wrote: »

Just spoke to station manager in Connolly about their 'solution' to bus people to Drogheda or get them to use 33.

He said this was just their first plan devised over the weekend and they'd amend it as soon as they got some idea of the numbers involved that need to be bussed home!

A number of us suggested that there should be direct coaches at least to take us home - this isn't rocket science - coaches in Connolly could be set aside for Rush/Lusk & Skerries only and for Balbriggan/Gormanston only and could leave Connolly at specified times (16.30, 17.00, 17.30 etc) and travel through Port Tunnel.

THe current plans for people to get coaches to Drogheda could leave them having to wait up to 2 hours for a train back to their home station - acknowledged in Connolly as not ideal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THe manager said that the current plans would undoubtedly change in the next couple of days and that the best thing commuters could do is e-mail info@irishrail.ie with descriptions of how long journeys are taking, queues etc.

He acknowledged that e-mails would unlikely be replied to but said that all information received would be used to improve the service.

I'd urge everyone to e-mail Irish rail, but try sending messages to paul.slowey@irishrail.ie He's the customer relations manager for the North-East.

Somebody put an email address up here, two actually, in an earlier post. Have a read and make suggestions. I agree, they probably need buses to begin from every town to give everyone a fair (fare ) chance of getting on.

johndoe21

hi, ill call aswell. did you call irish rail or dublin bus?

Peckham

johndoe21 wrote: »

hi, ill call aswell. did you call irish rail or dublin bus?

I called general Dublin Bus switchboard number - 8720000 I think.
Read somewhere that Irish Rail have said that any comments about the bus service should be directed to Dublin Bus.

regula1

At Rush train station at 7.35 this morning. Wait 15 mins. 1 regular 33 stops and says an empty 33x starting from Rush (because they're all full leaving skerries) is just behind . It passes 5 mins later full and doesn't stop.

Eventually get on a regular 33 at 8am because the driver says the next 33x is 15 mins away.

A woman at the bus stop says she been there since 7.15 and another says 7am with no 33x's stopping (she counted 3 of them)

Journey takes an hour to abbey street. By the time I get to work it’s 9.30am – 1 hour later than usual :-(

With all the rail commuters on the regular 33 (only out of desperation), it’s full and can’t stop for the poor people who normally get on at Swords (as well as lusk). It's a bum deal for everyone - including regular bus users.

KC61

There are a number of issues here that I think probably need reviewing. I suspect that the 33X rail replacement service needs some restructuring so that the focus is on departures from Skerries from 0630 to 0800 rather than 0730 to 0840. In reality a 10 minute 33X from 0625 to 0745 and then spreading to every 15 minutes might be a better service pattern.

However I note that two additional buses from Rush Railway Station have now been added at 0645 and 0715 per the Dublin Bus website.

http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/News-Centre/Travel-News/Additional-Bus-Services-due-to-incident-at-Broadmeadow-Estuary-North-of-Malahide-Station-/

Auvers

I have emailed Irish Rail & Dublin Bus and I am going to call around to my local representative for Lusk (http://www.labour.ie/kenfarrell/) tonight. I am also going to try and contact RTE\TV3 and various newspapers to let them know what sort of shi1te that is going on.

This is completely unacceptable as even a 10 year old child would know that starting buses every 10-15 mins in each of the effected towns at the height of rush hour is the way to go.

We need to stick together and have our voices heard or else there will be SIX long winter months of this.

regula1

KC61 wrote: »

However I note that two additional buses from Rush Railway Station have now been added at 0645 and 0715 per the Dublin Bus website.

http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/News-Centre/Travel-News/Additional-Bus-Services-due-to-incident-at-Broadmeadow-Estuary-North-of-Malahide-Station-/

(not directed at you but...) What about 7.45, 8.15 etc? - there are still hundreds of people getting the 7.48 train at rush (or there were).

I have to drop my child at Creche at 7.30 in lusk and then usally drive to the station. I can't get an earlier bus even if I wanted to.

Peckham

Dublin Bus rang me back and said they are monitoring the numbers of people getting different buses (or not, as the case may be!). In fairness, it's going to take them a while to get this right, and they're learning by the day (yesterday they addressed the Balbriggan problem, today they have made steps towards addressing the Lusk problem).

Still outstanding issues I hope they'll address - e.g. the buses between 8 and 9, and also after 6pm in the evening coming out of town.

KC61

Auvers wrote: »

I have emailed Irish Rail & Dublin Bus and I am going to call around to my local representative for Lusk (http://www.labour.ie/kenfarrell/) tonight. I am also going to try and contact RTE\TV3 and various newspapers to let them know what sort of shi1te that is going on.

This is completely unacceptable as even a 10 year old child would know that starting buses every 10-15 mins in each of the effected towns at the height of rush hour is the way to go.

We need to stick together and have our voices heard or else there will be SIX long winter months of this.

Absolutely, and I suspect that the service patterns will change as the week goes on when it becomes apparent what the loadings are like.

From what I gather this is an initial attempt at a service, but it will obviously be reviewed to try and meet the demand in so far as possible.

While it is obviously frustrating, I do think that the companies are trying - it was a fair stab at providing a service with very short notice, and I suspect that they will review it again as the week progresses.

dcr22B

regula1 wrote: »

(not directed at you but...) What about 7.45, 8.15 etc? - there are still hundreds of people getting the 7.48 train at rush (or there were).

I have to drop my child at Creche at 7.30 in lusk and then usally drive to the station. I can't get an earlier bus even if I wanted to.

They are strange times indeed given that it only takes 35 minutes to get from Lusk into town. The easier solution would be to have buses at 7am, 7.20am and 7.40am for Luskans (are we called that??? ) only.

By the way, how are Rush residents faring with the buses coming from Skerries? Apologies if I missed out on that earlier in the thread.

Jack2002

I have emailed and sent letters to all TD's and councillors in the area, the Minister for Transport, and sent letters off to Irish Rail and Bus Eireann. Think everyone really needs to have their voices heard so we get some action. I'm in Balbriggan and while they made progress this morng with direct buses they have still made no provision for anyone getting in or out of town outside of rush hour. The only alternative is the 33 which takes in excess of 2 hours which is no alternative to a train journey that used to take 40 mins. Bus Eireann needs to honour rail tickets. If they won't do it during rush hour because of the direct buses that have been laid on, they have to accept it during off-peak otherwise we essentially have a curfew placed on us for when we need to leave town (unless we fancy a 2 hour bus journey or fancy paying for Bus Eireann buses on top of our existing expensive rail tickets). Write and email - let's get heard!

KC61

The 33 does need additional buses throughout the day also.

Eoineo

Has anybody tried doing the run from Balbriggan to Howth Junction or Malahide.

I on occasion have to travel to Howth Junction to get to the Coolock Social Welfare Office (a whole other thread needed on that one) via the 17A. I'm assuming it's a nightmare?

Micamaca

KC61 wrote: »

The 33 does need additional buses throughout the day also.

The 33 is not a bus service, it's an endurance test...one I fail every time :mad:

We need 33X outside of peak-hours...this would be a good idea anyway as the missing train service is about one train an hour and sometimes every two hours outside of peak service. I type the word 'service' while gritting my teeth. To me none of these train/bus services reach the standard required for the population out here or for a European capital city.

dcr22B

To be honest, is there really any necessity for the 33 as a stand alone bus service any longer?

It tracks a route that is already served by a plethora of 41s. What they should have is a mix of 33/33X during peak hours with more emphasis on the 33X and run directly into the city centre. Those who wish to got to Swords can get the 33 or they could extend the 33A.

I would be very surprised if many people would use the 33 on a daily basis to go to work in Santry or the airport (stand to be corrected on that one though).

KC61

Eoineo wrote: »

Has anybody tried doing the run from Balbriggan to Howth Junction or Malahide.

I on occasion have to travel to Howth Junction to get to the Coolock Social Welfare Office (a whole other thread needed on that one) via the 17A. I'm assuming it's a nightmare?

I would have thought that you'd take the 101 to Santry Avenue and then the 17A across?

Hauk

dcr22B wrote: »

I would be very surprised if many people would use the 33 on a daily basis to go to work in Santry or the airport (stand to be corrected on that one though).

Give it a few weeks and all the college people such as myself will be going back to work college! .

And with Fingals offices in Swords main street, there are people who live along the 33 route going to work in Swords/Airport.

Also, traffic this morning was a nightmare.

Eoineo

Thank you, I'll give it a go.
I think if travelling to Malahide I'll have to get the bus to Swords and then transfer to the 102.

meditraitor

Eoineo wrote: »

Thank you, I'll give it a go.
I think if travelling to Malahide I'll have to get the bus to Swords and then transfer to the 102.

the 102?

KC61

Eoineo wrote: »

Thank you, I'll give it a go.
I think if travelling to Malahide I'll have to get the bus to Swords and then transfer to the 102.

Correct.

KC61

meditraitor wrote: »

the 102?

The fastest route from Balbriggan to Malahide would be the Bus Eireann 101 to Swords and then Dublin Bus 102 to Malahide.

crótach

I've given up on Iarnrod Eireann. Today I handed in my annual commuter ticket for a refund, thankfully my HR department was more efficient than IE and actually sorted it out.

Driving in now brings my daily commute from 3 hours to 1.5h. With the 33 bus it would be over 4 hours!! It's a crap service made even worse by this disaster.

Everyone else I know in work who used to be on the train is now driving in, and it's a terrible shame it's come to this.

TarfHead

I was on a DART from Howth this morning and we were stopped at Howth Junction to allow a commuter line train, heading for the City, to go through.

Are they running these trains to Malahide to supplement the DART service ?

Eschatologist

drjenbren wrote: »

did anyone get the feeder bus from Donabate to Malahide today? Just wondering how it worked out?

I'm wondering the same thing. How long does it take to get to Malahide on one of these buses? I start back at UCD in September and I'm worried that 07.00 bus won't get me to a dart in time.

Seems IE and Dublin Bus think everyone just needs to get to the city centre and sod anyone who needs to get to the southside.

ooc99

Anybody figured out the best way from Gormanston?

Morning seems fine - train to Balbriggan or drogheda to link with buses but evenings seem like they must be a nightmare as there's a rail link every 2 hours from drogheda or balbriggan back to gormanston!

Thinking of driving to balbriggan and parking - Anybody know if the car park is full at Balbriggan train station by 8.20?

Ta!