Reusable cups cannot be refilled on Enterprise train over safety fears Published duration 17 December 2019

image copyright Translink image caption The Enterprise service links Belfast and Dublin

Cross-border rail service passengers have criticised its operator over not being able to refill reusable cups.

Irish Rail, which jointly operates the Belfast to Dublin Enterprise service with NI's Translink, said the policy was due to concerns over scalding.

A spokesperson for the service said staff and customer health and safety was a "top priority".

The company is trialling its own reusable cup which is compatible with its on-board catering trolley.

A spokeswoman for Irish Rail told BBC News NI it was a "bespoke cup that is designed to fit under the spout of the trolley and the lids have been tested for safety purposes".

She said there were safety concerns with recyclable cups that customers bring onto the train, as they do not correctly fit underneath the nozzle of the hot drinks machine.

The company said concerns over the speed of the train was also a concern.

De-facto ban

The story, which was first reported by the Irish Times , has seen Irish Rail's social media inundated with queries about the policy.

It also applies to Irish Rail inter city trains in the Republic of Ireland.

The company stated it was not banning the use of reusable cups customers brought on board, but would not refill them using its own machines.

Responding, Dublin City Council Green Party councillor Hazel Chu said it was a de-facto ban.

"Realistically you're preventing them from using it for the purpose which they brought it on board for which in effect is banning their usage," she said.

Previously, customers said Irish Rail staff had used disposable cups to transfer drinks into a reusable cup.

Recycling cups

The company has also faced criticism on social media for not recycling cups which have been designed for recycling.

After saying its cups were 100% recyclable, the company was asked whether it was currently recycling the cups, and stated "we are ready for when recycling becomes available".

It clarified the cups are not currently recyclable in Ireland, but it was "ready for when they are".

One social media user wrote: "Recyclable material that cannot be recycled in Ireland, you may as well just make it out of plastic, that's how useful that is."

Irish Rail confirmed to BBC News NI the cups are currently put into non-recyclable waste.

The reusable cup being sold on the Enterprise service costs £2.50/€3.00, which covers the cost of the drink purchased, and allows customers to receive a 10% discount for reusing their cup.