Following our recent report on Fine Gael TD Willie Aird's call for more late trains to Portlaoise, we received dozens of comments and opinions from Laois locals on the need for such services.

The Leinster Express / Laois Live took to Ballybrophy and Portlaoise train stations to hear the views of Laois commuters.

Sue Cullen

What I find is a lot of the hospital appointments we travel for are in the morning, and you have to hang around 'til 2 o'clock for the next train back to Laois. That is a lot, if you're coming two or three times. We are travelling to Dublin today, but we are staying overnight, instead of coming backwards and forwards because we have another appointment tomorrow. I've always found that I'm hanging around Heuston station for the next train to go home, it's a real pain and it's exhausting. I don't know why they think nobody travels back from Heuston. 

Pictured: Portlaoise train station. Photo: The Leinster Express

Sharon Greene.

the trains are great, but I don't think there are enough coming to Ballybrophy. More frequent services would be nice. 

Monica Delaney

I would love a better choice of trains coming back from Dublin later. You mostly have to just work it out yourself. The train's popularity is fabulous, but it's a victim of its own success. You can never have too many services, there could always be more. There is definitely a gap in the train times in the mornings from Dublin to Ballybrophy. if you are from around here, you see that more trains would be nice. I can't complain, but I pay for weekly parking with Apcoa and I'm still not guaranteed parking, we can be abandoned. The staff at the stations are absolutely amazing, but you just can't find the space. My biggest gripe is the lack of parking.

Faye Ryan

I am from Cloughjordan and we travel to Laois to get the train- we could do with more trains in the morning, there's a big gap between the 9am Ballybrophy service to Heuston, and the 1pm train. Parking is an issue too- I have never seen it so busy as it is lately. There;s a massive space for a temporary car park. We have no train on a Sunday morning in Cloughjordan, we have to drive back to Ballybrophy. Every Sunday morning or bank holiday we have no train at all, so we have to come to Laois.

Pictured: Ballybrophy train station. Photo: The Leinster Express

Muriel Ward Costigan

You can't get a train home after nine o'clock, I don't know how you would get home. But when you're in that position you have to make those accommodations for yourself, you look at the timetable and have to decide. You do have to come back earlier, more trains would be nice. When you see how many trains run in European countries like Austria, you would want the same here.

Gavin Doheny

I hear a lot of complaints about parking- the information on parking is a big thing as well. There could be more late trains coming back from Dublin to Portlaoise. I see in the mornings a lot of people getting the first train into Portlaoise, the later trains at night would save people having to come home at 5 o'clock in the morning. the next train after that are the ones coming home at 8 o'clock, they're the people working in the hospitals. 

Paul O'Neill

This is my first time getting the train in a while, I use the service very sporadically. I know of issues with late trains- I'm pushing 40 now, so I'm not going to gigs and late events like I used to, I know that it was the same issue back in the day. If this is still an issue people are facing, it's a crying shame. It shouldn't be the same ongoing issue for ten or fifteen years. I haven't had any issue with this in the last few years. in my regard there should be late express trains at least, that have certain stops along the way, especially for high turnaround areas. 

Pictured: Ballybrophy train station. Photo: The Leinster Express

Dillon Oum

I travel up and down for college a lot. I think travelling on Sundays is always a disaster, I understand that people are entitled to take that time off work too. For me, if I have to be in Galway for classes, I need to be there early on a Monday. It's a total disaster trying to get there on a Sunday. Another issue is linking bus times with train times. Local links help me get home, especially if I'm coming home a bit later. Otherwise I could be stuck. There are 100% not enough late trains. I'm fortunate that I have mates in Kildare that I can stay with if we're going out in Dublin, but when I've tried to go home in the past I've had to get taxis and buses very early the next morning- there are no trains that could bring me home. Going from taxi to bus to taxi again is very frustrating and tiring. If you are going from Kerry to Galway, you have to go to Dublin, and turnaround and go the whole way back. There are about four changes in an eight hour trip, when there could be a direct route.

Jamie

I travel to Kildare from Portlaoise regularly, I feel limited in the trains back to Portlaoise. You could be waiting an hour or two for one. You don't have enough- you're left waiting. I would like to see more trains put on, particularly in the gap between 12:30pm and 1:25pm. It's a long time to be standing waiting around. I get the train regularly so I would like to see it.

Pictured: Portlaoise train station. Photo: The Leinster Express

Jade

The last train is at 10 past 10, I think if they added more, you could stay out longer and find it easier coming back. I've struggled with the lack of late trains.

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Ailish

We need a lot more trains, it's easier to go up than it is to come back. I could go from Cork to Portlaoise or Portlaoise to Kildare on my commute. We could do with more services, particularly in the evening, then you could go out for dinner or stay somewhere a bit longer. For me the real issue is parking, and the station toilets. Kildare has a similar population, but the toilets are kept in better condition, and the waiting rooms are more comfortable.