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Hourly inter-city rail service on track

Translink A enterprise service passes over the viaduct outside Newry Translink
Fifteen services will operate in each direction between Belfast and Dublin from Mondays to Saturdays

A new hourly train service between Belfast and Dublin started from Belfast's Grand Central Station on Tuesday.

Fifteen services will operate in each direction between Belfast and Dublin from Mondays to Saturdays and eight services each way on Sundays.

Funding of €25m for the project has been provided by the Department of Transport, the Irish government and the Shared Island Fund.

However, concerns have been raised that more cross-border Enterprise services will lead to even more congestion in Lurgan, which some residents feel is already being left behind in terms of transport infrastructure.

Translink has said there is an investment plan for Lurgan.

Initial figures suggest there has already been a significant uplift in passenger numbers compared to last Tuesday, however this is half-term week.

'Ironic' that Lurgan residents cannot use service

Two men standing in front of a level crossing with the barrier down.
Jim Conway and Stephen Moore say that the level crossings cause disruption in Lurgan

Jim Conway, from Lurgan, told BBC News NI that more trains passing through the town will cause disruption due to the increase frequency with which level crossing barriers will be closed.

"I just think that it's very poor planning," he said.

"There's three level crossings here in Lurgan, so if you add up 15 journeys each way... that's 90 roadblocks a day in Lurgan."

"The irony of it is, the local people here can't get access to that service."

Mr Conway said that a "flyover" was needed.

Stephen Moore, who also has objections said "the issue is the town needs to breathe, and its not able to breath at the moment with these blockages".

Translink planning 'carefully'

Chris Conway - he wears a black suit, white shirt and colourful tie. he stands in front of the train
Chris Conway of Translink said the service had been carefully planned

However Chris Conway, Translink's chief executive, said "we've done very careful timetable planning for this service".

"The increase in barrier time at Lurgan is about three to four minutes over the hour, so we've minimised that disruption," he told the BBC's Good morning Ulster programme.

"We have an investment plan for Lurgan.

"So we have a new station planned for Lurgan, new park and ride and also a change to signalling system there which would reduce barrier time even from the current time."

He said procurement was underway for a new Enterprise fleet but that the company had wanted to get the hourly service up and running prior to that.

The first passengers

Nathan Mulholland sitting on the train. He has dark hair and wearing a light blue shirt and looking directly at the camera. The background of the train is on his right and the window of the train is on his left.
Nathan Mulholland was unaware the train was running an hourly service until Tuesday morning

Nathan Mulholland was on his way to Cork so was to transfer at Heuston Station in Dublin.

It was his first time using the Enterprise service in a long time and he was unaware that it is now running an hourly service.

“I like trains, I travel in Europe a lot on trains so this is a regular holiday experience is taking the train down," he said.

"It’s handier as well to get down to Cork, it’s a long drive and this breaks it up. It’s just easier to sit on the train and have a coffee, take it easier and listen to my podcasts."

Ural (male) and Ayse (female) sitting on the train. Ural has white hair and beard and wearing a red t-shirt. Ayse has dark hair tied back and wearing a grey jumper and blue/grey scarf. Both are smiling.
Ural and Ayse are on their way back to Istanbul

Ural and Ayse said the train service was "great" and "comfortable".

They are on their way to Dublin before going back to Istanbul.

Despite their praise for the service, it is "not better than the Japanese trains", said Ayse.

"They’re just a bit slower. But the view is nicer,” she added.

'Help decarbonise transport'

Pacemaker Passengers walking about Grand Central Station in Belfast. In the foreground some ticket machines. In the background a large screen with departure times on one side and "Welcome to Grand Central" on the other.Pacemaker
The service will operate between Belfast's Grand Central and Dublin Connolly

Taoiseach Simon Harris said the introduction of the hourly service is a "really, really important day for the all island economy, for the island of Ireland, from a public transport point of view".

He said the move would make a "real difference".

Stormont infrastructure minister John O’Dowd said the expanded service "offers opportunities to drive jobs and growth, stimulate development and regeneration and boost access to services and education".

He also said that the move will "help decarbonise transport and encourage behavioural shift to public transport".

O'Dowd also promised to "continue to be ambitious around our rail network", adding that he looks forward "to a future where people across this island, in particular those in rural areas, have greater access to rail travel".

Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann, Jim Meade said that the "future is bright for the Enterprise", pointing to a project underway to provide new rolling stock for the service by the end of the decade.

Some rail passengers in Dublin have complained that the new early-morning Enterprise service is causing upheaval for Dublin commuter town passengers travelling into the city.