# DART



## Bothsides (8 Oct 2003)

Anybody have any ideas as to why we only got 4 days notice of the DART closures? Personally I have a theory that it was done to prevent political interference & subsequent delays to the essential works & thus save the tax payer millions in fines to contrators. A case of the best of intenetions from Irish rail but a PR disaster.


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## Bothsides (8 Oct 2003)

See only 4 days notice & look whats happened: imagine the delays introduced had we known 6 months ago.!
This noth delay will not come cheap & its the tax payer footing the bill

October 8, 2003  

(11:43) The Taoiseach has told the Dail that upgrade work on the DART lines - which would close the network down at weekends for the next 18 months - will be suspended for the month of December.

Work is due to start on the southside section of the network this weekend and will mean no Saturday or Sunday service between Pearse St and Greystones until next Spring. 

Bertie Ahern admitted that communications over the issue were not handled properly but he said its a considererable amount of investment in the DART line which will significantly improve the service.


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## Joe (9 Oct 2003)

*Dublin*

Is Dublin Airport being closed down as well? Its in a bit of a mess and could be great when its finished.


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## Alex (9 Oct 2003)

What's the big deal about lack of notice?  What could you have changed in your life to make the DART closure have less impact if you had 3 months notice?  None as far as I can see.  I think they're dead right to press ahead with the contracts they have signed.  After the bo11ocking the government got for having to pay off the contractor for the Kilkenny asylum centre, I think Iarnrod Eireann have done the best in the circumstances.

That said, I do like the idea of someone who wrote to the Irish Times today.  Instead of closing the whole of the Southside Dart line for 9 months, they could start at Greystones and work their way in - Greystones would be closed for the full 9 months, Bray for a bit less etc etc and the final stations closer to town would only be closed in the final few months as the work moved up the line.  When they reach the City Centre, they can start on the Northside at Howth closed for 9 months, Sutton for a bit less etc etc.  They may have to run a very reduced service as trains can't switch tracks in most stations so there'd essentially be two single-line tracks but it would be better than nothing.


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## monk (10 Oct 2003)

Can everyone please leave Dublin for 2-3 years so that we can test out our idea's about how to fix things. We need our railway’s to handle more capacity, the M50 needs another lane each direction, more intensive housing developments in the city, maybe even a useful light rail system (or maybe half way through we’ll decide our original idea of an underground is the only viable option)
 If when you come back nothing is better you can't blame us but we promise to have 100's new rules you have to abide to (and same amount of new taxes of course). 
As the leaving ambassador said you (para-phrasing) are sheep you like nothing better than moaning about things you have no control over and don’t try to change. We know you, you are our children who know no better, as a good quote in the paper the other day, you must be given a fait-accompli then you won’t demonstrate only cry into your pints.
Often, when out at night listening to everyone moan about this sort of thing, I look around the table and see the cut-throat gangsters, mountain moving giants I work with during the day just sit there and tut-tut with the gangster FF’s in power ducking and weaving their way out of trouble. What a statement by the Minister of Transport to make about this! Wasn’t my fault, they didn’t tell me officially, so if you’re pissed off don’t worry I’m on you’re side. Ahhh, but no I’m not going to change anything I just don’t want you to blame me for anything…
I’m becoming a Frenchman who organises the whole society into a strike if a loaf of bread went up by 10c.


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## Dr J (10 Oct 2003)

*Liam and the DART*

Could we get Liam Lawlor to get the DART scheduling AND Luas in good working order?  This mover and shaker can have postal codes changed single-handedly so maybe he's the one to take on our infrastructure tasks.


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## daltonr (10 Oct 2003)

*Re: Liam and the DART*

I certainly think the infrastructure projects would get a lot more public support if a chain gang of some of the stars of the tribunal were put to work digging and breaking rocks.

Jail for obstructing a tribunal is so unimaginative.

I reckon people would pay a small fee for a seat in the public gallery to watch Liam up to his waist in muck on a rainy November evening.  Could help pay for the whole thing.

-Rd


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