DART closure shunts us on a line to nowhere
Closing Saturday and Sunday equates to a removal of 28.5% of the services. I suspect the proposal is also to remove services earlier on a Friday night, so we may be looking at a 30% or more reduction in services altogether.
Will this be accompanied by a 30% reduction in the price of weekly, monthly and annual tickets during this period? Will a 30% refund be issued for weekly, monthly and annual tickets already purchased?
If no refund, will an equivalent bus alternative be provided, with the same regularity and the same capacity and at no additional cost to the ticket holder?
If neither of these compensatory measures are being considered, I wonder if the Ombudsman or similar has anything to say.
If they are being considered, has their cost been weighed against the cost of alternatives?
Why does the whole line have to shut while only some of the stations will be worked on at any one time? Would it be possible to just close the stations being worked on while keeping the rest of the line open?
Even if some of the work being done interfered with the rail line itself, could this part of the work not be done between midnight and 6am when the line is closed anyway?
How does having to pay night rates compare with having to pay weekend overtime rates?
The stop/start nature of working (only) every weekend must also add to the length of time taken to complete a station.
I am sure commuters would prefer to have to use neighbouring stations for the week or two needed for the upgrade to their station rather than be without it every weekend for 18 months.
Why can't it be a bit awkward for the workmen for a change, instead of awkward for the many thousands of commuters it will inconvenience instead?
Even once work has started, can we be given any assurances that inconvenience will be kept to an absolute minimum and work will progress as quickly as possible, using proper commercial comparisons and not at the usual seemingly inept, lackadaisical semi-State rate of progress?
Can progress on this project be used as a measure for benchmarking and measured against private developments?
Why, in semi-State bodies, does nobody seem to put the customer first?
Michael Lynch,
29, Evora Park,
Howth,
Co Dublin.
