Rail issue still live

Westport’s quest to improve train services goes on

Neill O’Neill

IF Iarnród Éireann thought that Westport Town Council would be easing off now that new rolling stock is operational on the Westport Dublin line, they were mistaken. Westport-based councillors are now planning to form a delegation with members of Castlebar and Ballina Town Councils and Mayo County Council to go to Dublin to meet with company management to discuss their concerns. If this meeting is denied by Iarnród Éireann, or if the officials from the other local authorities do not wish to be part of it, then the Westport Town Council members will take further action on their own. However, outgoing Cathaoirleach, Cllr Declan Dever, said he wasn’t prepared to go down the road of creating sensationalism to spur action like he did several months ago, when he vowed to lie on train tracks to cause disruption if necessary.
At last week’s monthly meeting it was apparent that all Westport town councillors welcomed the developments on the Westport line, but were annoyed by a letter sent to then by Myles McHugh of Iarnród Éireann stating that he is not in a position to discuss new timetables or guarantee an early bird service on the Westport/Dublin route.
The Council has stressed time and again that an early bird service that will get people from Mayo into Dublin for office hours is essential, but feel that Iarnród Éireann – through Myles McHugh’s letter – are ‘fobbing’ them off.
Cllr Keith Martin called the train from Westport ‘a glorified commuter service’ and stated his belief that there is no intention of providing a dining car on it. Cllr Myles Staunton went one further and said he doesn’t think Iarnród Éireann have any intention of putting on an early bird service from Westport.
All nine councillors agreed that Mayo should be treated the same as Galway – where an early bird service exists – and Cllr Tereasa McGuire called for better management on the trains, and an end to people standing from Claremorris to Dublin. Her colleague, Cllr Margaret Adams, said the situation where the train is divided in two and a person cannot pass from one end to the other must also be addressed.
In the end the councillors vowed to keep the pressure on Iarnród Éireann to ensure they are not left out when new timetables are being drafted, and to do this through letters and meetings, in alliance with other councils.