Western Rail Corridor

LANDMARK OCCASIOIN Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey, TD and Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Éamon Ó Cuív, TD joined forces to help the lay the first track of the Western Rail Corridor route, from left: Minister Ó CuÍv; Fr Micheál MacGréil, SJ, Rail Corridor campaigner;  Michael Kitt, TD; Minister Dempsey, driving a ceremonial wedge and Dr John Lynch, Iarnród Éireann chairman. 
Pic: Liam Burke/Press 22

Western Rail Corridor re-opening well on track

Neill O’Neill

“There is a mile of track a week being laid on the Western Rail Corridor. It is coming in under budget and ahead of schedule and I believe that there is no reason it cannot be operational in Claremorris by 2011. There is a new era of rail travel dawning in the west.”
That is the firm belief of West on Track Spokesperson Colman Ó Raghallaigh after a ceremony in Craughwell, Co Galway last week to mark the commencement of work on the first phase of the Western Rail Corridor, between Limerick and Galway.
The Minister for Transport, Mr Noel Dempsey TD, the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Mr Éamon Ó Cuív TD and the Chairman of CIÉ and Iarnród Éireann, Dr John Lynch also attended the event as well as representatives from the West on Track Community Campaign from Clare, Galway, Mayo and Sligo and local Government representatives.
Mr Ó Raghallaigh said West on Track believe that the Government is intent on keeping their promise on the reinstatement of the Western Rail Corridor and that the work on the line would be continuing directly to Claremorris once it reached Tuam. He said that seven trains a day would be running in each direction between Galway and Limerick inside 15 months and that there would be five services a day south from Mayo, once the line reached Claremorris.
Regular services on the track were completely disbanded 30 years ago after the line was perceived to be unviable, but Mr Ó Raghallaigh believes that plenty of people will use the new service and that such will be the success of the railway that it will automatically make its own case to be extended into Sligo – the northern phase of the Western Rail Corridor for which there is currently no schedule of work.
“One of the key elements of this project is that the line already exists so there are no issues with compulsory purchase orders or planning permission,” he said. “It is a matter of laying the line and we believe that the Government feels they can no longer leave this vital piece of infrastructure lying idle.
“Transport 21 is being moved on as quickly as possible and West on Track will remain as focused on getting the last inch of the Western Rail Corridor reopened as we were the first inch.”