Sir, – Peter O’Gorman (Letters, September 2nd) queries how the five level crossings on the Dart line in south Dublin “prioritise cars”. According to Rail Users Ireland, the group that revealed that Irish Rail have sat for years on a report recommending the closure of these crossings, computers schedule crossings at these sites to maximise the amount of time they are open to private cars, resulting in longer and slower journeys for train users as they must wait for the crossings ahead to be closed. Furthermore, careless driving results in damage to rail infrastructure at these crossings and subsequent delays to trains. Serpentine Avenue and Sandymount Avenue are reportedly two of the most struck level crossings in the country.Closure of the level crossings is necessary to protect the railway and deliver a more frequent and more reliable rail service. Whereas private car drivers can simply choose an alternative route to their destination, trains cannot. However, Irish Rail and the Government have seemingly decided (by their studious inaction) that the comfort and convenience of the private car drivers of Ballsbridge and Sandymount outweigh the needs of the tens of thousands of citizens who rely on the Dart every day, and would rather take meaningful improvement to the Dart service off the table than risk the ire of motorists.As we live in a society that rigidly prioritises private cars over public and active transport at every level, this should be no surprise. – Yours, etc, Rory Crotty,Douglas,Cork.