Rail Users Ireland

Rail Users Ireland (previously Platform 11) is a rail transport pressure group in Ireland whose agenda is centred on the idea that there is an economic case for expanding rail transport in Ireland through better utilisation of existing infrastructure with only justified expansion of existing routes. Through press releases, lobbying and leafleting they have promoted the DART Underground, a proposal to build a tunnel south of the Liffey to link up Dublin's Heuston Station with the existing DART and Luas lines. The group is a member of the European Passengers Federation a European level representative body for rail users which shares the same outlook in terms of sustainable transport provision and improving standards on public transport.

Platform 11 was founded in January 2003 at a public meeting held in Dublin

Although slighted by opponents as favouring "Palerail", a reference to their theory that higher ridership Dublin services should be expedited, some of the principals actually hail from areas such as Clonmel and Templemore, previous committee members have hailed from Limerick and Sligo and claim more experience of the more rural parts of the network than those who actually live there.

As well as making the case for expanded commuter services in the heavily urbanised Greater Dublin Area, the group advocates suburban rail for Galway and Limerick if combined with a focused planning environment such as the Cork LUTS (Land Use and Transportation Study). They also advocate bus services connecting to railheads where rail is not feasible. They also support direct rather than connecting services to Clonmel.

Recently Rail Users Ireland have been assisting regional groups. Groups currently affiliated with it are Newbridge Rail Group and Kildare Rail Users' Group. It is expected further local groups representing the Maynooth line as well as others will be formed. Rail Users Ireland also works with groups such as DART for Lucan in the promotion of new services and required infrastructure investment.

...
Wikipedia