Comment: It's only when the long-sought rail line is in place and an alternative solution available will the annual cycle of commuter woe ease

There is no doubt that the news, or statement of intent by Irish Rail to appoint a collective of consultants to start work preparing the route for the Navan rail line link is most welcome.

The "multi-disciplinary consultants will assist in all stages of the project" including route selection, design and construction, we were told yesterday (Monday) with appointments due in early 2024, to progress all elements of the project.

However, while obviously important, and important enough to record on our front page today, there still is that drawback that even by starting now, and without further interruption, it will still be over a decade before a carriage bearing the name ‘Navan/An Uaimh’ across its front windscreen trundles in to a local station.

And interruption is just what Navan commuters are facing right now as Bus Eireann field sackfuls of complaints over full buses, missed services, vanishing timetables and a system that is heaving from the numbers of passengers trying to get to Dublin and back on a daily basis.

Just this week, Cllr Emer Tóibín was informed that two extra buses would be added to existing services in a bid to relieve significant pressure and demand on early morning and evening commuter services.

Cllr Tóibín had called for a meeting with Bus Éireann's operations manager last week to find out why there are relentless breaks in commuter services which has been contributing untold stress to those involved in the daily grind of commuting to Dublin.

“It was becoming more and more clear that we have an untenable situation here. Huge numbers of people depend daily on NX and 109 services. The stress of not knowing whether a commuter can secure a seat on the bus or arrive an hour late to work is really tough. Facing into dark mornings and evenings and worsening weather is incredibly difficult if you don't know from one day to the next what lies in store for you at the bus stop. This is not what we should expect from public service”.

Cllr Tóibín continued: “People living in Johnstown have been hit quite hard as full buses pass by waiting customers every morning with four arriving in quick succession only last week, failing to stop due to full capacity.

“Commuters are being forced to wait until the next bus arrives, with some customer jostling for places due to the urgency to get started on the journey to work. Needless to say people arrive at their destination late and stressed”

It seems these two stories are destined to run as parallel as the tracks that will - eventually - run from M3 Parkway to Navan. It's only when the long-sought rail line is in place and an alternative solution available will the annual cycle of commuter woe ease.

Get the consultants in, get moving, keep moving, and get Navan on track!