Survey Reveals 98% Felt DART 'Dangerously Overcrowded'

A survey of DART user, commissioned by Fine Gael Dun Laoghaire Deputy, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, has shown that 98% of respondents felt "dangerously overcrowded on the DART at some point".

Addressing the survey's results, Deputy O'Connor said: "The results of my online survey, which was carried out in conjunction with my colleague Simon Harris TD, in response to representations we had been receiving about overcrowding on DART services were very telling.

"More than 300 people from the Dun Laoghaire catchment area took part in the survey and a staggering 98% of them said that they felt dangerously overcrowded on the DART at some point.

"The level of dissatisfaction coming through was palpable with people stating that using the DART had gone from being a ‘pleasure’ to an ‘ordeal’, while others spoke of the ‘dangerous and extremely uncomfortable’ conditions being experienced, especially for older people, due to a reduction in the number of carriages in use during peak times.

It is understood that the TD has subsequently written to Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar TD, and the CEO of Irish Rail, Mr. David Franks outlining the "severity of the situation".

"Mr. Franks unreservedly apologised for any overcrowding that may have occurred due to technical faults, industrial action and the presence of leaves on the tracks, insisting that a policy of reducing carriages at peak times has not, and was never, employed.

"I have been assured that carriages have been restored to a number of services where capacity issues arose and that Irish Rail has identified a number of areas where policy issued needed to be revised in response to customer feedback.

"Minister Varadkar expressed a desire to ensure that ‘rail users are not expected to pay more for a service that is less’. I will be sending the survey result onto Mr. Franks and Minister Varadkar and will continue to keep the pressure on to ensure the all assurances are met and sustained."

(MH/CD)