14 October 2026 | Cllr Helen Farrell – Independent, Lucan
Working with Paul Gogarty TD
We’ve been working on the serious problems affecting public transport in Lucan, Adamstown and our surrounding communities throughout 2026, and I want to give residents a comprehensive update on what’s been done, the responses received, and where we go from here.
Overcrowded trains, buses that don’t turn up, students left waiting at bus stops, inadequate services and unreliable timetables have become all too familiar for many people.
Some of the most recent accounts I’ve received about rail overcrowding have been particularly concerning, with passengers describing conditions that raise genuine questions about health and safety.
I have now submitted a detailed, anonymised report of commuters’ experiences and recommendations to the SDCC Manager, to support his engagement and discussions with Iarnród Éireann and the National Transport Authority (NTA).
Paul Gogarty, TD, has also raised these issues directly in the Dáil recently and you can view a snippet of his main Dáil budget contribution, speaking about overcrowded trains. He highlights issues relevant to the constituency in terms of the impact on services such as public transport, healthcare, education, crime and antisocial behaviour, childcare, as well as looking at the bigger picture nationally. All contributions at website link below: https://www.paulgogarty.com/…/paul-gogarty-budget-2027…
I very much appreciate the SDCC Manager’s constructive approach to these issues and his commitment to ensuring that public transport provision keeps pace with the growing population of our area.However, improvements are urgently needed, and the latest developments concerning DART+ South West (no mention in Budget 2027) have added to my concerns.
What I’ve done so far
January–February 2026: Raising local bus service failures
Earlier this year, I invited residents to provide feedback on local bus services ahead of a proposed meeting between councillors and Dublin Bus.
The response was substantial, with residents reporting problems across a wide range of routes, including:
- C1, C2, C3 and C4: Overcrowding, buses passing stops already full, and difficulties for commuters and students.
- L54: Unreliable school-time services, particularly affecting students travelling to Confey College.
- P29, 52, L51 and W4: Concerns about insufficient frequency, reliability and capacity.
- Loss of Route 25: Continued difficulties for residents of Dodsborough, Hillcrest and Adamstown following its withdrawal.
- Ghost buses: Services appearing on the TFI app but failing to arrive, along with unreliable or faulty real-time information displays.
- Missing connections: Requests for improved access to St James’s Hospital, the National Children’s Hospital, Liffey Valley, the Red Cow Luas, the Airport and other key destinations.
Unfortunately, the planned January meeting was cancelled by Dublin Bus, and promised NTA engagement workshops had still not been scheduled by mid-February. Rather than allow the feedback to go nowhere, I compiled residents’ concerns and forwarded a detailed summary to SDCC’s Transportation Manager in February for engagement with the NTA.
I also brought forward a motion at the Lucan, Palmerstown and North Clondalkin Area Committee, which was passed, calling for SDCC to raise bus capacity, reliability and related service difficulties with Dublin Bus and the NTA. This work builds on the Bus Correct survey undertaken by Paul Gogarty TD in 2023–2024 and his continued engagement on local transport issues.
September 2026: Formal representations on Adamstown rail overcrowding
As complaints about the rail service increased, I submitted formal representations concerning the severe overcrowding experienced by passengers travelling through Adamstown. Particular concerns centred on the 7.47am service from Hazelhatch & Celbridge towards Grand Canal Dock, with passengers describing trains arriving at Adamstown already full.
On 21 September 2026, SDCC responded under Members Representation 1935040, acknowledging the issues raised, including concerns about passenger welfare and safety. The Council confirmed that it would write to Iarnród Éireann seeking information regarding peak-hour passenger capacity, additional carriages, service frequency and possible improvements to the corridor.
On 22 September 2026, a further response under Members Representation 1936572 acknowledged additional concerns about rail and bus provision, including capacity and access difficulties. The Manager indicated that these matters would be raised with the relevant transport authorities.
These were welcome responses, although they do not yet represent commitments from the transport operators to deliver additional services.
October 2026: Detailed commuter report submitted to SDCC Manager
Following another substantial response from commuters, I have now completed and submitted a more detailed report to the SDCC Manager. The report draws together anonymised first-hand accounts from passengers using Adamstown, Kishoge, Clondalkin-Fonthill, Hazelhatch & Celbridge and other stations along the Kildare–Dublin corridor. It identifies the most serious recurring problems and proposes specific actions for Iarnród Éireann and the NTA.
The intention is to provide SDCC with clear, practical evidence to support its discussions and negotiations with the transport authorities.
My priority is to move beyond repeatedly highlighting the problems and establish what can actually be done to improve services.
Rail overcrowding: No longer just a question of comfort
Some of the experiences reported by rail passengers are concerning. Commuters describe being tightly packed into doorways, aisles and the spaces between carriages, with little room to move. Several people reported feeling faint or overheated, while others raised concerns about what would happen if a passenger became seriously unwell and assistance was needed. Pregnant passengers have reportedly struggled to obtain seats, and some commuters have been unable to board because their trains were already full.
One passenger told me that they had moved from the 7.19am train to the earlier 6.53am service simply to improve their chances of boarding, only to find the earlier service overcrowded too.Other passengers report afternoon services operating with just three carriages, including services around 4.20pm and 4.28pm.
These are passenger accounts rather than independently verified safety findings, but they are sufficiently serious and consistent to warrant an urgent operational assessment.
I am asking Iarnród Éireann to formally examine the potential safety implications of severe overcrowding, particularly in carriage doorways and circulation areas.
People should be able to travel to work, school or college without feeling physically unsafe.
What about the buses?
Although rail overcrowding has attracted significant attention recently, bus users continue to experience serious difficulties.
For residents without easy access to a railway station, a reliable bus service is essential.
The issues I am continuing to raise include overcrowding on peak-hour services, buses that fail to arrive, cancellations that are not accurately displayed on the TFI app, and students being left behind when services are full.
I am particularly concerned about school-time capacity, where the consequences of a missed or overcrowded service often fall on parents who must make alternative arrangements at short notice.
There are also significant gaps in connections between residential areas, hospitals, employment centres and other essential destinations.
I want the NTA and bus operators to address these problems together, rather than looking at individual routes in isolation.
An efficient transport network needs reliable buses, adequate rail capacity and good connections between the two.
Budget 2027: Still no specific delivery commitment for DART+ South West
One of the most disappointing developments has been the absence of a specific funding allocation or confirmed construction timetable for DART+ South West in Budget 2027, announced on 6 October.
The Budget provided additional funding for the wider DART+ programme, but it did not identify a dedicated construction allocation, commencement date or completion timetable for DART+ South West.
This distinction is important. The project has not been abandoned, and preparatory work, including procurement and land acquisition processes, has been progressing. However, there is still no firm commitment to when its main construction works will begin. DART+ South West received Railway Order approval in November 2024.
When delivered, the project is designed to significantly increase capacity on the corridor, with the potential to increase peak passenger capacity from approximately 5,000 to 20,000 passengers per hour in each direction.
It will involve electrification of the railway between Hazelhatch & Celbridge and Dublin, additional tracks between Park West and Heuston, and other major infrastructure improvements. The Government has indicated that DART+ West must progress first because it will provide infrastructure needed for the wider programme. However, that does not remove the need for a clear funding and delivery commitment for it.
I am particularly concerned that we continue to approve and build large numbers of homes in Adamstown, Clonburris and surrounding areas, while the transport infrastructure needed to support those populations is lagging behind.
We need DART+ South West, but we also need an immediate plan to address the capacity problems facing today’s commuters. Residents cannot be expected to wait several more years for basic improvements to overcrowded services.
What I’m asking Iarnród Éireann and the NTA to do
My report identifies six main priorities.
1. An urgent passenger safety assessment
Examine overcrowding on peak-hour trains, particularly around doorways and connecting areas, and assess whether passengers can move safely and receive assistance in an emergency.
2. More capacity on existing trains
Review carriage allocations and the possibility of operating longer trains on the busiest services. I am also seeking clarification on when additional rolling stock may become available.
3. Improved service frequency
Examine whether additional morning and evening services, revised timetables or services originating at intermediate stations could help relieve overcrowding.
4. Better reliability and passenger information
Investigate delays, unexplained train stops, missed bus services, inaccurate real-time information and the impact on commuters trying to reach work, education and essential appointments.
5. Improvements to weekend services and station access
Review weekend rail frequency and capacity, parking provision at Kishoge, facilities at Hazelhatch & Celbridge, and connections between feeder buses and trains.
6. Planning for our growing population
Provide updated passenger demand projections reflecting existing and future development in Adamstown, Clonburris and surrounding communities, together with the interim transport improvements required before DART+ South West is completed.
Could additional carriages become available sooner?
There may be opportunities to improve capacity before the full DART+ South West project is delivered. New DART trains are expected to begin entering service elsewhere on the network from 2027. This could allow some existing diesel commuter trains to be redeployed to other routes. The Government has previously acknowledged that such redeployment could potentially benefit the South West corridor. However, this depends on operational decisions, the available fleet and the timing of the new trains entering service.
I have asked for clarity on whether our corridor could benefit, how many additional carriages might be available and when passengers could realistically see an improvement.
This would not replace the need for DART+ South West, but it could provide some much-needed relief in the meantime.
What can residents expect next?
The report is now with the SDCC Manager for use in his engagement with Iarnród Éireann and the NTA. I am seeking progress on three fronts.
Immediate action: A response to the reported safety concerns, an assessment of the worst-affected services and consideration of measures that could relieve existing overcrowding.
Improvements over the next 6–12 months: Clear information on whether additional carriages, service changes, better bus reliability or timetable adjustments can realistically be delivered. This is the period I have asked the authorities to examine, rather than a confirmed delivery timetable.
Longer-term planning: A firm commitment to DART+ South West, including funding, construction timelines and a transport capacity plan that reflects the scale of housing development already taking place.
I would also welcome a coordinated discussion involving SDCC, Iarnród Éireann and the NTA, with clear responsibility for following up on agreed actions.
It is important to be realistic. Not every change can happen immediately, and additional services depend on factors including available trains, staffing, funding and track capacity, but commuters deserve clear answers about what is possible and when they might see improvements.
At this stage, no additional carriages or new services have been confirmed as a direct outcome of these representations. I will update residents as substantive responses and commitments are received.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed
The feedback I’ve received has been invaluable. The detailed experiences shared by commuters have allowed me to identify particular services, times and recurring problems, rather than simply submitting general complaints about public transport.
I also want to acknowledge the constructive engagement of SDCC’s Manager, who recognises the importance of supporting our expanding communities with appropriate transport provision. South Dublin County Council does not control rail or bus operations. Those responsibilities sit principally with Iarnród Éireann, the NTA and the relevant bus operators. However, I believe that working collaboratively with SDCC gives us an important route for raising these issues and seeking improvements.
I will continue working with Paul Gogarty TD and the relevant authorities to make the case for better services.
Please keep the feedback coming
If you’ve experienced overcrowded trains, full or missing buses, unreliable timetables, or problems getting to work, school, college or medical appointments, please continue to contact me.
It is particularly helpful to include the route or service number, station or stop, date, scheduled time and a brief description of what happened.
Individual experiences can be anonymised when submitted to the relevant authorities.
Our public transport network must be planned around the people who depend on it – including the thousands of residents already living in our expanding communities.
We need immediate, practical improvements and a properly funded plan for the future, and I will continue to pursue both.
Cllr Helen Farrell
Independent Councillor – Lucan
Working with Paul Gogarty TD
Email: hfarrell@cllrs.sdublincoco.ie
Website: www.helenfarrell.com
