No women-onl
IRISH Rail has no plans to introduce ‘women-only’ carriages.
It comes after it emerged the measure is being considered in Scotland due to ongoing cases of women being harassed on trains.
Scottish transport minister Jenny Gilruth said there is a ‘systemic problem’ with females being intimidated by men on train services and has proposed that the initiative be adopted when ScotRail is nationalised later this year.
The move prompted a debate here over whether the female-only carriages
should be introduced, with one caller to Newstalk Radio’s Lunchtime Live programme recalling being flashed by a masturbating male passenger on the Dart.
However, an Irish Rail spokesperson said the prospect of womenonly carriages had not been discussed.
‘There is no indication that there is any customer demand for the introduction of female-only carriages,’ the spokesperson told the Irish Mail on Sunday.
‘Segregation of any kind, particularly on Dart and commuter services, does have implications with regard to practicality.’
Train carriages exclusively for female passengers are not uncommon in other parts of the world and have been introduced in crowded cities such as Cairo, Egypt and Rio in Brazil to prevent groping during busy periods, or harassment generally.