Candidates commit to Western Rail Corridor

A LONG CAMPAIGN Jonathan Healy, Kiltimagh was pictured on the tracks at Kiltimagh Train Station during a visit to stations proposed for the Western Rail Corridor by then Minister, Seamus Brennan, TD, Minister for Transport, back in 2004. Pic: Keith Heneghan/Phocus.

Edwin McGreal

The majority of candidates in the Mayo constituency are committing to backing the extension of the Western Rail Corridor to Claremorris and beyond as a priority project.
Candidates representing Fine Gael, Fianna FΡil, Sinn Féin, the Green Party, People Before Profit and Aontú, together with Independent candidate Gerry Loftus, have backed the corridor.
The Western Rail Corridor ran from Sligo to Limerick and closed in the 1970s. It has currently been reopened from Limerick to Ennis and onto Athenry. The extension of it to Tuam and onto Claremorris – where it would connect with the Dublin-Westport line – is subject to a current Government-backed review, the results of which have yet to be published.
But it would certainly appear that there is considerable political backing in Mayo for the extension to Claremorris to become a reality.
Candidates were asked by The Mayo News if they considered a number of projects a priority – the answers to more will appear in next week’s issue – and every candidate who had responded last night at the time of going to print backed the Western Rail Corridor reopening to Claremorris and beyond.
Fianna FΡil Deputy Leader Dara Calleary said projects like the Western Rail Corridor (WRC) are ‘key’, particularly in light of maximising the potential of the Atlantic Economic Corridor (AEC).
Stretching all along the western seaboard, the AEC aims to encourage the growth of the western region.
“Whilst supporting road investment, we need to make public transport more attractive to encourage cars and freight off the road. The WRC is key to this and key to exploiting the potential of the Atlantic Economic Corridor,” he said.
His Fianna FΡil running-mate Lisa Chambers said she has been a supporter of the WRC since elected to Mayo County Council in 2014.
“Given the traffic pressures on approach into Galway and the number of people from Mayo travelling to and from Galway for work, college or tourism, I believe a good rail service between Mayo and Galway would work well and be utilised. As part of our response to the climate challenge, we need to develop better public transport in rural Ireland and this project is ideal,” she said.
Ballina-based Senator Michelle Mulherin said along with providing a public service for passengers, the WRC has potential from a point of view of rail freight.
“The extension of the Western Rail Corridor to Claremorris and beyond is very important from a freight and commercial point of view to link the freight heard in Ballina to the port of Foynes and Waterford. I would like to see it extended to Ireland West Airport Knock. I think it would incentivise manufacturing around the airport,” she said.
Her Fine Gael running-mate Alan Dillon said investment in the WRC and the ‘critical next stage from Athenry to Claremorris needs to be fast-tracked’.
He also said the west region needs to rejoin the European TEN-T Core funding network for infrastructural projects like the WRC.
Sinn Féin’s Senator Rose Conway-Walsh said the WRC is a ‘vital component in the Atlantic Economic Corridor’.
“It is critical infrastructure needed to drive regional development by creating sufficient scale along the western part of Ireland to match other regions – and particularly the east coast – in attracting Irish and multinational investment, growing jobs and supporting vibrant local communities,” she said.
Saoirse McHugh of the Green Party said increased public transport services are key.
“I believe that without an excellent public transport system places like Mayo will always need cars. We also need to think about all the people who don’t or can’t drive and use Galway for hospital appointments or work,” she said.
Joe Daly of People Before Profit described extending the WRC to Claremorris as ‘absolutely vital’ and said his party have set aside €250 million for it in ‘our fully costed alternative budget 2020’, adding People Before Profit ‘would ensure it is also electrified’.
Paul Lawless of Aontú also expressed his backing for the WRC.
“In order to take action on climate change we must increase and incentivise commuter rail. It is not realistic to encourage people to drive less without this approach,” he said.
Independent candidate Gerry Loftus said a huge problem for projects like the WRC is the removal in 2011 by then Minister for Transport Leo Varardkar of the Western Arc from the European TEN-T Core funding pool.
“Projects along the east coast have been able to avail of such funds but we’ve been left behind, again. The Western Rail Corridor absolutely needs to happen,” he said.
The remaining six candidates had not responded at the time of going to print.

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See next week’s Mayo News for more comments from Mayo General Election candidates on key local issues.