[Article] Western rail project to be announced soon

Victor

http://www.thepost.ie/post/pages/p/story.aspx-qqqid=16229-qqqx=1.asp

Western rail project to be announced soon
06 August 2006 By Niamh Connolly

A Western Rail Corridor linking major population centres on the western seaboard is expected to be officially announced shortly, The Sunday Business Post has learned.

A Western Rail Corridor linking major population centres on the western seaboard is expected to be officially announced shortly, The Sunday Business Post has learned.

The cabinet approved the Western Rail Corridor in principal at a meeting two weeks ago and a government announcement on the project is expected either later this month or in early September.

There is broad agreement among the government parties on the phased construction of a rail corridor ultimately linking Ennis in Co Clare to Collooney in Co Sligo.

The re-opening of the Western Rail Corridor, which is part of the government’s Transport 21 commitment, is expected to form a key role in Fianna Fail’s general election platform over the coming months.

An expert working group headed by Jurys Doyle chief executive Pat McCann for transport minister Martin Cullen found a ‘‘strong case for the restoration of the line which was closed 30 years ago’’.

The section from Ennis to Claremorris in Co Mayo will cost €168 million.

The final section from Claremorris to Collooney in Co Sligo would cost €197million and would complete a circular rail system nationally by connecting the five largest cities outside Dublin - Waterford, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Sligo - by rail.

The corridor is owned by the state, so no costly land acquisition or lengthy planning process is required. A rail link from Limerick to Ennis, which opened in 2004, surpassed passenger projections.

Supporters of the plan say the project will open up 14 additional smaller and medium-sized towns and their rural hinterlands to a north-south transport corridor.

According to population projections, the west of the country will be the second fastest growing region in terms of population growth up to 2021, with an increase of 35 per cent being projected.

Chris_533976

www.boards.ie.
Commuting/Transport Forum.
Thread about Western Rail Corridor.

Result ->

corktina

Result? Taxpayers of Ireland nil....wrc supporters one....

monument

The re-opening of the Western Rail Corridor, which is part of the government’s Transport 21 commitment, is expected to form a key role in Fianna Fail’s general election platform over the coming months.

Repeat after me... "In the national interest".

Diaspora

A desperate measure from a very desperate administration

Would abolishing income tax not seem a little more populist?

Your party did abolish residential rates in 1977 you have a precedent for radical own goals

spacetweek

Victor wrote:

http://www.thepost.ie/post/pages/p/story.aspx-qqqid=16229-qqqx=1.asp

Dammit. This one's harder to kill than Rasputin.

The WRC might be an appropriate project for the post T21 period when we're trying to come up with more stuff to do, but it's daft to even consider spending time and money on it at the mo with the ludicrous amount of far more important projects to get through.

dermot_sheehan

Once again in this country, in the eternal, ancient and long fought battle between:

muppetry and common sense
shysterism and intelligent governance
parish pumpism and national leadership
waste and investment
backwardness and forwardness
post-colonial malaise and new irelandness
gombeen men and political leadership


The forces of light and brightness have suffered a defeat from the bog monster that lives across the Shannon.:mad:

popebenny16

Regarding the WRC I have said this so many times its like groundhog Day:

phased

Ok, lets move on, nothing to see.

You do remember that this was already announced when T21 was announced.

There is nothing in this. Its announced again.

And, guess what, it's going to be announced, again, in September.

It will be announced again, in the Spring.

By next June, it wont be announced again for another four years.

corktina

well sadi your Holiness....

Our man in Havana

Well Your Holiness, Why don't you simply excorise the devil that is the WRC to the depths of hell where it belongs, never to rear its ugly head again?

Transport21 Fan

The corridor is owned by the state, so no costly land acquisition or lengthy planning process is required.

A state funded Garden Railway can add significant value to your home...

Transport21 Fan

The corridor is owned by the state, so no costly land acquisition or lengthy planning process is required.

Don't goldfish ponds and garden nomes have rights too?

Our man in Havana

Transport21 Fan wrote:

Don't goldfish ponds and garden nomes have rights too?

Well said!

D'Peoples Voice

The re-opening of the Western Rail Corridor, which is part of the government’s Transport 21 commitment, is expected to form a key role in Fianna Fail’s general election platform over the coming months.

It's funny becos several times in the last 12 days I have heard how FF have vowed not to try to buy the election with this year's budget!
Anyone else see this parallel?

road_high

That bit about the West having above average growth rates than the rest, I find that hard to believe somehow..Funny the east and south has ACTUALLY HAD high population growths for years now and still can't get proper infrastructure.But for the West a populaion 'projection' will suffice to get this line open.

It seems FF are going to waste our taxes re-opening this line for pensioners and then waste yet more of our taxes on a yearly subvention to keep it open.