Irish Rail confirm Bagenalstown Train Station will become a self-service station this summer
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Irish Rail have confirmed that Bagenalstown Train Station will become a "self-service station" in the coming months.
Cllr Arthur McDonald flagged the plans to "downgrade the train station" which he says "has far reaching implications" for users in the town.
In a statement, Irish Rail said: "Iarnrod Eireann has said clearly over the past couple of years that with the huge migration to online or ticket machine ticket sales (now at almost 90% of tickets), we will be rebalancing our customer service provision to a greater presence on board services and fewer in stations.
"Later this summer, Muine Bheag will move from a partially staffed station to a self-service station as part of this.
"However as regular customers on the Waterford/Dublin route will know, we now have dedicated Customer Service Officers (CSOs) on board many services on this route and will have them on all services shortly.
"This means that there will always be assistance for wheelchair customers at Muine Bheag with the on board CSO there to help boarding and alighting.
"There will be ticket sales at the station via machine sales, and the CSO will be able to assist people with DSP tickets, seating service information and more.
"As is the case today, parking and cleaning will be provided by contracted companies. We are also working with our Property Dept to seek a lease arrangement for the building.
"Staffing requirements at stations will continue to be assessed on a demand basis across the network but the CSO presence will be expanded to all Intercity services."