Train wants commuters to return

16 November 2009

About three months ago, a 20-metre portion of railway travelling between Belfast and Dublin collapsed onto the sea.

Reporter Barra Besttook the rail line on Monday to Dublin as the railway reopened months in advance of schedule.

It did not seem that a section of it had not collapsed only several months ago.

Passengers barely seemed to be concerned at the incident, opting instead to use computers, talk on rumour with friends, or read newspapers.

It looked as if commuters on the train were just pleased that the service of the rail line was returned to normal.

Willi McCartney, a traveller said: "It's better than on the buses".

"The last time I came, I had to go by bus and it took an extra couple of hours. I'm a pensioner of 72 and I wouldn't go back again to the buses", he added.

He argued: “The challenge now facing the rail companies is getting passengers who have switched to cars and buses in recent months back onto the trains”.

A traveller Joan Guerin was on the train with her child on the dreadful day the railway bridge collapsed.

"We were waiting and waiting, and then the next minute we were told there was a problem. No-one really knew what to do. Then they got us buses", she said.

The event did not hold her from travelling by train.