Sir, - Jim Dunne concluded his report on some of the new developments brought in by Irish Rail (September 1st ) by stating that "there will be an improved suburban service between Dublin and Drogheda". Your readers may like know that as a result of recent timetable changes that is far from the truth. As a commuter from Skerries to Dublin, I have regularly availed of the express train departing Connolly Station at 8.15 p.m. and travelled the 20 miles or so to Skerries, in under 20 minutes. This wonderful service is longer available to the people of north Co Dublin. In its place they now have to make do with a train that leaves half-an-hour later and serves many more stations along the way.
The worst aspect of this change to the timetable is that even this service, unlike the express train, does not run on Saturdays, so that the last train on the Dublin-Drogheda line leaves at an unacceptably early time of 7.10 p.m. This, together with the continued absence of any form of Sunday service, can hardly be described as an improvement to the suburban line. - Yours, etc.,
Skerries, Co Dublin.