Warning that delays to DART+ South West ‘must not impact commuter towns across Kildare South’

A TD for Kildare South yesterday (December 10 last) warned the government that delays to DART+ South West "must not impact commuter towns" across the region.

The comments, which were made by Labour Party Deputy Mark Wall, echo similar sentiments which were made by Fine Gael TD Mark Neville last week.

Deputy Wall's concerns also echo the criticism made by Independent Ireland councillor Bill Clear earlier this week, who claimed that election promises relating to the project "had been broken" by the government.

'KNOCK-ON EFFECTS'

Speaking yesterday in Dáil Éireann, Deputy Wall expressed his view the delays of the Dart+ South West project could have "potential knock-on effects" for towns such as Athy, Kildare town and Monasterevin.

He told An Taoiseach Micheál Martin: "Public transport and traffic congestion across Kildare South has become a massive issue, it is having a huge impact on people’s daily lives for those that must travel to Dublin for work or to attend hospital appointments.

"DART+ South West is now facing delays up to at least 2030, while the DART+ fleet is also facing delays due to an issue with batteries."

He continued: "There is now a growing concern that commuter towns across Kildare South who are relying on carriages being freed up from the new DART+ fleet will also face delays for enhanced train services; towns like Athy, where I have been fighting for an hourly train service on the Waterford to Heuston line, and Monasterevin and Kildare town are in desperate need of increased train services and additional carriages."

TRAFFIC CONGESTION FEARS

"Such delays will only worsen the traffic congestion along the car park that the M7 / N7 and M50 has become, with government forcing people into their cars due to the lack of available, affordable and accessible public transport in Kildare South."

However, Deputy Wall added: "I welcome the Taoiseach’s response to me in which he said there should be no delay in providing these additional carriages for Kildare South."

He also vowed to engage with the Minister for Transport (Darragh O'Brien TD) on the issue, in order "to ensure that commuters in Kildare South get the public transport that they need".

Deputy Mark Wall also made headlines relating to the topic of public transport when he called on the government to implement a Labour Party plan which aims to "end motorway misery" for rural commuters.

Labour Party TD for Kildare South, Mark Wall. File photograph

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