€6 million to be invested in Irish Rail

Minister for public transport, Alan Kelly, has announced a €6 million investment programme for Irish Rail.

The investment will see improvements in the speed of the lines, the continued roll out of WiFi across the network and important fuel saving technology to reduce costs, reports Business World.

The money for the investment is coming from reallocated capital from within the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. The investment will see new work being carried out over the rest of this year.

"It is vital that our limited funds are spent well and give value to the exchequer. If we want to offer people a proper level of public transport this will require investment.

“This funding will greatly enhance both the customer service Irish Rail offers as well as equipping them with the ability to reduce costs in the future. It's a win-win," stated Minister Kelly.

The investment will see €1 million being spent on the Portarlington to Dublin line, while €1 million will be spent on ticket validating machines. Almost €300,000 will be spent on the continued rollout of WiFi on 63 carriages and €600,000 will be spent on heaters at platforms, to make sure passengers wont freeze their nads off if we have another terrible winter.

"It is vitally important that public transport remains a strong option for those who commute. This Government is committed to improving the public transport system and the consumer experience.

“It is vital that every penny is stretched to the maximum benefit of the users of public transport," concluded Minister Kelly.