Report to recommend reopening of Western Rail Corridor as part of Atlantic 'railway spine'

A MAJOR report into the future of rail is set to recommend the reopening of the Western Rail Corridor between Athenry and Claremorris.

According to the Irish Times, the Island Strategic Rail Review is expected to recommend that the line be reopened as part of a new Atlantic ‘railway spine’ running from Ballina to Rosslare.

The review’s publication had been put on hold until the reformation of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

However, the government is set to publish a draft review at the end of the month, with the full review to be published when the assembly is reformed.

A report by Mayo News columnist, Dr John Bradley, has estimated the cost of reopening the Athenry to Claremorris line at €154 million, a figure which was recently disputed by Transport Minister Eamon Ryan.

Speaking to reporters in Ballina, Minister Ryan reaffirmed his support for the idea, highlighting the environmental benefits of moving freight from the road to rail.

Responding to a recent Dáil question from Mayo TD Alan Dillon, Minister Ryan said: “Currently a lot of that [freight] traffic goes from Galway, Mayo and Limerick through the middle of the country and our towns on the way to Rosslare and out to France. Building that section from Athenry to Claremorris gives us the opportunity to go towards a low-carbon transport solution. It also opens up the possibility of passenger services and much greater inter-connection.”

The Green Party leader has said he will ‘make the case to government’ for the reopening of the line which, he said, would first require an environmental impact assessment.

The All-Island Strategic Rail Review is also to recommend for a major pivot away from roads to rail for both passengers and freight.

At present only 1 percent of the country’s freight is carried on trains. The only freight transport hub in Mayo is based in Ballina.

However, Castlebar train station has been designated to for the development of a freight transport hub capable of serving various multinational companies in the area.

Local employer Baxter recently began transporting freight to Waterford via Ballina but aims to transport more than 20 containers daily from Castlebar via the reopened Western Rail Corridor.

The Island Strategic Rail Review has also recommended the reopening of the rail connection to Donegal, the only county in the state without any active railway line.