Sir, - As a fan of Iarnrod Eireann, may I express my disappointment at the standard of service on the 7.15 p.m. train from Dublin to Cork on December 1st.
Three carriages and a dining car were provided on a train that is usually full to the gunnels. In the dining car all 36 seats were full and there were 40 people standing. In the next carriage 73 people were standing and 64 were seated. As we left Heuston dangerously overcrowded there were eight carriages parked in the sidings, a complete waste of rolling stock. The ticket-checker who had woken me three times on the 5.30 a.m. train three weeks earlier was nowhere to be seen. This has to stop. Are there safety regulations in operation in CIE? The company must introduce seat reservation at peak times as is done all over Europe. This way it will know in advance how many wish to travel and can ensure that there are enough seats for all those who wish to get the train. - Yours, etc.,
From Barry Keane
College Road, Cork.