Derry - Letterkenny - Sligo : Rail

El Stuntman

Calina wrote: »

Hardly constructive, don't you think?

sorry - was having a bad morning

Annatar

ga2re2t wrote: »

Annatar, try to remember another thing. The fact that Sligo is called a city doesn't mean it's actually some form of metropolis. The latest CSO figures put Sligo's population at about 20,000. By international definitions, that's a small town. Granted, it may have a large catchment area but that still won't make a very big figure. Sligo is being pampered by actually getting a motorway all the way to Dublin, as well as having a pretty decent rail service which is continuing to improve (little by little).

Another thing, why would you actually want Donegal to get big infrastructure? Donegal is a beautiful picturesque county, with all its coast and rolling hills. It needs continued investment in upgrading local roads, signposting, village and town improvement schemes, broadband internet and renewable energy. Whereas the rest of Ireland has lost a lot of its character because of badly planned and excessive development, Donegal still has a chance to thrive in the tourist industry by offering a more stereotypic Irish experience.

Thanks to the upgrades to the N4 and the like, places such as Donegal town are only about 4 hours from Dublin. For the majority of tourists that's really nothing at all, as most of them come from big countries like the US, Germany and France where holiday driving trips of up to 12 hours are common. Also, Donegal has an airport, as does Sligo, where further investment could do wonders, particularly for local industry. Knock ain't too far away either.

Maybe I'm ranting too much, but I hope what I've said makes some sort of sense.

Nahh you are grand. Just one thing... Since when is Sligo called a city? Inever called it so... unless it was a typo, in which case sorry!

Donegal Airport is wasted where it is.... or keep it there and have another in Letterkenny.

Annatar

Just read the other posts - rebranded as a city??? Thats news to us!


Nuc reactor in Donegal!
Waahh Hey!! yup thatll be grand. A lovely MSR or Pebble bed...

MSR would get my vote...assuming itll work as promised.

Hell yeah, there be Uranium in dem dar hills! Saphires as well if memory serves.... or was that diamonds?!

Annatar

El Stuntman wrote: »

let's build one of the old-fashioned sort (think Sellafield or Chernobyl) then, just to keep OP happy

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm :rolleyes:

Richard

Nostradamus wrote: »

and it had 22,000 on the eve of being rebranded a city. Sligo city status resulted in Sligo planners performing a breath-taking performance of one-off housing development all over the county.

Wait... Sligo is a city?! When did this happen?

Schuhart

Nostradamus wrote:

Although one thing I will agree on is the transport access to cancer services for people in Donegal is a genuine issue and is unacceptable.

But surely this need is being recognised.

There are particular and unique geographical circumstances applying to Donegal. This is reflected in north-south co-operation in the provision of radiotherapy from Belfast.

On a sole exception basis, the Managed Cancer Control Network in the West will therefore be permitted to enter into outreach service delivery in Letterkenny as an additional activity.

So, uniquely among all the counties that might kick up about Centres of Excellence, Donegal does actually get its own outreach service.

In fact, consider not just the cancer strategy, or the general public funding position, but also specifically in the area of transport investment, that Donegal does well. Hence, whatever its problems, they just cannot be laid at the door of Government neglect. I think the real problem is caught by Nostradamus,

cities create wealth, one-off housing creates dependency.

Annatar wrote: »

Donegal Airport is wasted where it is.... or keep it there and have another in Letterkenny.

Or, going further still, commit to a regional vision built around Sligo and forget about county as a unit when thinking about development.

popebenny16

Well, I can see, perhaps, a Las Vagas thing,maybe a Atomic Power Plant, the Garda Ombidsman's Office being de-centralised to Donegal?

I've seen less rational proposals for a rail link getting funding

monument

EDIT: Some people have not read or misread the ending note of this post - the contents of the whole post should not be taken seriously...

(watch your blood pressure and read the whole thing first please!)

Forget Sligo to Derry, that's such an old idea. Come up with something a little more original...

And, of course, these will be newly laid or upgraded to high speed rail lines, say normal service running of about 300 km/h....

A.) Cork - Limerick - Galway - Claremorris - Sligo - Enniskillen - Armagh - Portadown - Belfast

B.) Derry - Portadown - Dublin ( and Cork while we're at it)

New services (not including all stops):

A) Belfast - - Portadown - - Dublin - - Cork
C) Derry - - Portadown - - Dublin
Belfast - - Portadown - - Sligo - - Galway - - - Cork

Everybody else is talking about railway management computer games? Right???

Propellerhead

In the future, if a united Ireland happens, then Donegal should come under the Northern Ireland administration rather than under Dublin. That way at least Donegal's needs won't be looked at with contempt.

smashey

Propellerhead wrote: »

In the future, if a united Ireland happens, then Donegal should come under the Northern Ireland administration rather than under Dublin. That way at least Donegal's needs won't be looked at with contempt.

How would there be a Northern Ireland administration in a united Ireland? Surely if the island was united, there would be one central government.

L1011

ga2re2t wrote: »

Sligo is being pampered by actually getting a motorway all the way to Dublin, as well as having a pretty decent rail service which is continuing to improve (little by little).

Except its not getting one. The dual carraigeway will end at the Longford bypass, with a Northern Ireland style hodgepodge of type 2 dual (although the north don't have type 2, they just have lethal duals...) and single carraigeway, with even a bit of 2+1 for good measure, running until it becomes vaguely HQDC towards Sligo - with roundabouts!

The N4 was never one of the specified inter-urbans.

monument

Propellerhead wrote: »

In the future, if a united Ireland happens, then Donegal should come under the Northern Ireland administration rather than under Dublin. That way at least Donegal's needs won't be looked at with contempt.

Contempt?

While things look to be improving, contempt is what the government has for public transport. Look at the state of services, lines, and stock on the current rail network. We're still playing "catch up". If you we're going to bring rail back to Donegal, I have to ask - at what cost?

loyatemu

smashey wrote: »

How would there be a Northern Ireland administration in a united Ireland? Surely if the island was united, there would be one central government.

yes - based in Donegal!

invincibleirish

MYOB wrote: »

The N4 was never one of the specified inter-urbans.

Nor does it need to be, the nortwest needs good road connections, not good DC/Motorway connections unless traffic volumes justify it. on the week in politics Michael Martin promised that ROI funding for roads in NI would be unaffected by any decline in roads spending in the south. lucky for Donegal.

I believe in time with a gradual shift in public spending going from roads to public transport there will be many cancelled/indefinitely delayed road projects because of no money, in Cork i can see the N20 & N28 upgrades not seeing the light of day(or taking an extraordinary long time).

But as being highlighted already the key for Donegals economic development is the expansion of Derry, it is its natural Hinterland pre 1921 and post GFA/Troubles, there is no reason Letterkenny cant become a sort of Ennis/Fermoy/Athenry/other satellite town to Derry and receive the associated benefits like improved Roads & Public Transport. so forget about Sligo & Dublin!

dermo88

Monument

Crayonism. 300kmh high speed lines in IRELAND. I'd like to indulge in what on earth you are smoking, but I gave that up years ago.

And that WRC routing from Claremorris - Sligo - Enniksillen - Portadown - Belfast.

I can't take you seriously. Your best place, if you can sing is at the Eurovision song contest with Dustin.

Deal with Dublin, Cork and Limerick first. Thats where the real problems are.

Calina

Actually I take issue with the idea that Cork/Dublin/Limerick are where the real problems lie. Most areas have serious issues of their own and access is and has historically been a major issue for the northwest.

The issue lies in priorities and for the greater immediate good, the urban centres are higher up that list. This does not, however, negate the fact that outisde the urban centres there are real problems.

monument

dermo88 wrote: »

Monument....

I can thankfully say I was messing and that that I've clarified such further in the post in question.

Annatar

Calina wrote: »

Actually I take issue with the idea that Cork/Dublin/Limerick are where the real problems lie. Most areas have serious issues of their own and access is and has historically been a major issue for the northwest.

The issue lies in priorities and for the greater immediate good, the urban centres are higher up that list. This does not, however, negate the fact that outisde the urban centres there are real problems.

True, very true. Its best to invest where you get most bang for your money.
Thing is the major urban areas will ALWAYS have problems, does this then mean but default that the only focus will be is on urban areas?


If nothing else, this thread did kick of alot of posts

Annatar

Propellerhead wrote: »

In the future, if a united Ireland happens, then Donegal should come under the Northern Ireland administration rather than under Dublin. That way at least Donegal's needs won't be looked at with contempt.

An "Eire Nua" approach? First time I heard that I was intrigued.
A Federal Republic..... in a Federal Europe

Schuhart

Annatar wrote: »

Thing is the major urban areas will ALWAYS have problems, does this then mean but default that the only focus will be is on urban areas?

I don't think this statement stands up to scrutiny for a number of reasons.

Firstly, I think we can state that all areas will always have problems. But if, as at present, our urban areas are particularly underserved compared to what you would expect for areas of their ilk, and if our rural areas are relatively advantaged, then you would expect the emphasis to be on urban areas until those problems are no greater than would be expected.

Bear in mind, regardless of the rhetoric, its actually the urbans and particularly Dublin that has to wait for its infrastructure. Bear in mind also that if investment followed infrastructure then Dublin Airport would be empty and Brussels Airport would be buzzing.

Finally, bear in mind that we have seen that considerable sums of public money do find their way to Donegal - to a greater extent than any other county - so the picture of neglect is simply not sustainable. I would again make the point that expectations of what can be achieved by those considerable sums seem to be unrealistic.

Schuhart

Propellerhead wrote: »

In the future, if a united Ireland happens, then Donegal should come under the Northern Ireland administration rather than under Dublin. That way at least Donegal's needs won't be looked at with contempt.

This is an incredibly unrealistic comment, given the considerable amount of support given to Donegal. What's the point in the East showing social solidarity if its just going to be thrown back in our faces like this?

ardmacha

so the picture of neglect is simply not sustainable

Neglect, not necessarily in the financial sense, but neglect in the profound 26 countyism of public planning. Donegal is usually treated as if it is a peninsula surrounded by water. While the proposals for an improvement of the A5 represent a welcome change, this is the challenge to Donegal. While in the past the NI authorities might have been a problem politically, but the biggest obstacle now is simply bureaucratic. Hardly suprising that this should happen when Limerick city and county council can't organise a bus lane, but this attitude needs to be challenged until it is fixed.

Nostradamus

ardmacha wrote: »

Neglect, not necessarily in the financial sense, but neglect in the profound 26 countyism of public planning. Donegal is usually treated as if it is a peninsula surrounded by water. While the proposals for an improvement of the A5 represent a welcome change, this is the challenge to Donegal. While in the past the NI authorities might have been a problem politically, but the biggest obstacle now is simply bureaucratic. Hardly suprising that this should happen when Limerick city and county council can't organise a bus lane, but this attitude needs to be challenged until it is fixed.

Hi Brian.

ardmacha

Hi Brian.

Do you mean Hi Brain?

El Stuntman

interesting stat in today's paper:

% of all PAYE collected in Co. Dublin = 50%

equivalent figure for Co. Donegal = 1%

discussion over, move on

smashey

El Stuntman wrote: »

interesting stat in today's paper:

% of all PAYE collected in Co. Dublin = 50%

equivalent figure for Co. Donegal = 1%

discussion over, move on

A mighty fine arguement there El Stuntman. :rolleyes:

gjim

smashey wrote: »

A mighty fine arguement there El Stuntman. :rolleyes:

You'll never make a politician; why not twist the stats to suit your agenda? Instead of suggesting that that Donegal people are a bunch of spongers who don't pay even a fraction of their fair share, consider that this fact serves to highlight the dire state of Donegal in terms of average income compared to Dublin and that the urgent need that SOMETHING BE DONE!!. Build us our railway now so a few pensioners, students and 5 tourists can spend a day winding their way around our county!!

It is interesting 'though. If true, it would mean that the average Dubliner pays over 6 times as much tax as the average Donegal person. Despite pinko whinging, our tax system is quite top heavy in terms of where PAYE comes from (the system is extremely progressive: someone on 20K has an effective tax rate of 4%, someone of 40K pays 18% and on 60K you pay 28%), so the distribution of incomes will have a huge effect on the average PAYE take. However, I can't imagine that the average income in Dublin is 4 times that in Donegal.

ardmacha

There seems to be a lot of tax paid in Westmeath, someone should build an airport there!

Victor

What?! And disturb the cattle?

OTK

Annatar wrote: »

How long do we need to wait till they cop themselves on and stop ignoring the North West.

A nice bit of rail from Derry through Letterkenny to Sligo...and on to the Western rail corridor.....

People and even tourists.. could make a nice trip, a circle around the Island by rail.

Rather than extend the rail network, we might do better to fix the underperforming parts of the existing network. For example, the Belfast-Derry line manages just 53km/hour (compared to the bus at 70km/hour). There is no plan in the public domain to improve this service.

The rail service between the two largest cities on the island is only just faster than the bus.

Dublin-Derry by rail is a ludicrous 5 hours. Tacking on more single track slow coach rubbish on to the end of the derry line to meander through donegal is hardly going to rejuvenate the region.

Lastly, Donegal county council's policy of dispersing population across the county has made public transport impossible.