Service reductions as Covid cases increase
Rail Express|March 2021
An increase in Covid-19 cases in early January saw the governments in Ireland and Northern Ireland impose stricter lockdown measures that impacted on public transport.
William Watson and Alan McFerran
Service reductions as Covid cases increase

IRISH Rail introduced an amended timetable on and from January 11 until further notice. Dublin to Dundalk/ Maynooth/M3 Parkway and DART suburban services are operating a Saturday timetable, while Sunday services are unaltered.

The following weekday trains have been withdrawn: the 10.00/14.00/16.00 Dublin Heuston to Cork and 06.15/13.25/17.25/19.25 ex-Cork; the 05.55 Tralee-Mallow and 20.55 Cork-Tralee; 08.55 Limerick-Heuston and 16.25 Heuston-Limerick; 06.30 CarlowHeuston; 07.50/11.00/14.50 WaterfordHeuston and 13.15/15.10/17.35 Heuston-Waterford; 05.20 (M-F) AthloneHeuston, 06.25 Galway-Heuston, 22.25 (M-F) Galway-Athlone, 17.10 (M-F) Heuston-Athlone and 19.35(M-F) Heuston-Galway; 09.45 WestportHeuston and 14.45 Heuston-Westport; 17.00 Ballina-Manulla Junction and 17.32 return.

Four trains have been withdrawn between Limerick and Ennis in each direction, plus the 18.40 GalwayEnnis and 20.30 return. The 16.00 (M-F) Connolly-Sligo and 16.50 (M-F) Sligo-Connolly have been cut, while the following Sligo line trains have been withdrawn on Saturdays: 06.40/11.05/16.55 ex-Sligo and 06.55/11.00/16.00/17.10 ex-Connolly. Also withdrawn are the 05.55 GoreyRosslare Europort, 09.40/16.33 Connolly-Rosslare Europort and 18.33 Connolly-Wexford.

There are five cancellations in each direction on Portlaoise/NewbridgeHeuston services and nine in each direction on the Grand Canal Dock to Hazelhatch/Newbridge service. The Cork to Cobh service has eight cancellations in each direction, while Cork to Midleton has six in each direction. Cork-Mallow has three cancellations in each direction.

This story is from the March 2021 edition of Rail Express.

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This story is from the March 2021 edition of Rail Express.

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