Passengers angry at being late for work and exams

PASSENGERS at Cork’s main railway station yesterday were unhappy over the wildcat strike action that left them stranded and facing lengthy journeys by road.

Despite a warning from Iarnród Éireann on Friday, commuters arriving for yesterday’s 5.30am and 7am services had no inkling unofficial industrial action was on the way.

Few cared about the rights and the wrongs of the dispute between Iarnród Éireann and the drivers; the passengers just wanted to get to their destinations.

Among those left stranded was Mallow student Tracey McKeown, aged 19, who was late getting to a vital examination in Cork.

She said: “I was at Mallow station and there was a bus to replace the train to Dublin but it left 10 minutes early and half the people never got on it.

“I was 10 minutes late to an exam this morning. They knew I was going to be late at college but I wasn’t given any extra time.

“I knew nothing about the strike until I got a text this morning. They should not go on strike.”

Nora O’Brien, 22, of Navan, Co Meath, had been due to get the 11.30am train to Dublin after a weekend visiting family in Cork.

She said: “My ticket cost me 59 and they won’t give me a refund. I’ve got to go by bus and it’ll take five-and-a-half hours because it’s got to go through all the towns. I’m really annoyed about this.”

The row centres around training for the introduction of new mark IV Intercity carriages, which are hooked up to standard locomotives.

The new carriages, worth €117 million, were due to come into service yesterday but train drivers said they had not received enough training.

But railway campaigner Greg O’Neill, 64, from Cork, was angry over the stoppage and rounded on the drivers.

“Irish Rail management are making a reasonable effort (in bringing in the new carriages) but the problem is with the trade unions.

“There is a view from the public that restrictive practices are slowing the development of our railway system. There are too many cars in Cork and Dublin and people are conscious of the need to improve public transport.

“It has taken five years for these new trains to come in and the taxpayer is paying for them, yet the public cannot have the benefit of them.”

Polish workers Christopher Guminski, 24, Agnes Sadowska, 25, and Martin Arendarski, also 25, were on their way from Cork to Little Island to work.

Mr Guminski said: “We have the same strikes in Poland and it doesn’t matter to me whether I go on bus or train. It was a surprise to me.”

Passengers at Cobh railway station in Co Cork were also among those left stranded.

One 54-year-old man, who was waiting at Cork to get a replacement bus service back to Cobh, said: “I’m not too pleased at all. It was a big surprise to me as I hadn’t heard anything about it.

“I had to bring my partner to hospital last night in Cork and I just need to get back to Cobh to fetch some stuff.”