West-on-Track rubbishes ‘risible’ rail report

Anton McNulty

A CAMPAIGNER for the re-opening of the Western Rail Corridor has described as ‘risible’ a suggestion from a confidential report that the west of Ireland may be left without a rail network.
A confidential report drawn up by the National Transport Authority and Iarnród Éireann suggested that the State-owned rail operator is facing a funding crisis and a number of lines may need to be cut.
The report according to The Irish Times suggests that without more than €640 in additional government funding, the majority of the rail network would be shut down, leaving only Dart and commuter services in Dublin and Cork along with intercity services from Dublin to Cork, Belfast and Limerick operating.
Colman Ó Raghallaigh, a spokesperson for West-on-Track described the report as a ‘hatchet job’ and any suggestion to leave the west without a rail network will be heavily resisted. He told The Mayo News that instead of suggesting the closure of more lines, there should be more emphasis on improving and expanding the rail network as they are doing in Europe.
“Every progressive country in western Europe is developing their rail network as fast as they can. If you look at Spain, which suffered as much as Ireland in their economic collapse, they are building railways everywhere. Everything is about the development of railways because they are seeking to maximise their carbon saving.
“It is risible that there is even a suggestion of closing railway lines when we should be asking why are we not maximising our existing networks. What are the Department of Transport doing to get the best out of our railways? This report is all about chop and cut when they should be asking what can we do to improve the situation,” he said.
The line from Galway to Limerick was identified in the report as one of the most at risk of closure but Mr Ó Raghallaigh dismissed this saying the number using the route are rising. He said that there was also no reason for not developing the remainder of the line to Claremorris.
“There is no reason at all not to continue the Western Rail Corridor from Galway to Claremorris. It is infrastructure which is necessary for economic development of the area. For the price of the Ballaghaderren by-pass we can have the rest of the route restored,” he said.
Meanwhile a census of passenger numbers carried out over a day in 2015 found that just 12 people boarded or alighted at Foxford station over that particular day’s service. Only four other stations in the country - Cahir, Ardrahan, Roscrea and Carrick-on-Suir - were quieter during that day’s service.