Western Rail Corridor (all disused sections)

corktina

I'd add to that...most of us would fully support developing the Rail system...where it makes sense to do so.

It doesn't make sense to further develop the WRC now or in the near or middle future (so a cycle path would protect the right of way for the long term just in case)

It does make sense to develop Commuter services and Intercity where it is warranted

The Idyl Race

Fascinating though how foggy's desire to jail supporters of the WRC hasn't generated any other comment.

BTW I'm not the one having to "address" anything. Put a stamp on that.

eastwest

Personally, I'd love to see a network of rail lines all over ireland, in case I ever decided to make use of it.
That's the nub of the issue though; must people, including pro-rail campaigners, will use the handier option of driving door to door. The southern section of the WRC has failed because people voted with their feet and didn't use it.
Does the inter county railway board use public transport to go to their meetings? Probably not, they use cars, same as anybody else living in rural ireland. We all take the easiest option; if you have to drive ten miles to a railway station, you might as well keep going as wait around for a train.
Rail travel works in areas of high population density, where there are sufficient passenger numbers and where the train provides a door to door solution. It won't work on the WRC, not at this point in time anyway, but should we just abandon this valuable public asset because of that?
The politicians seem to think so. Despite their vague promises to look at the matter every five years or so, it is clear that their plan is all about abandonment of the asset.
Many people, including most of the posters to this thread, don't agree that this is good governance, but that won't stop it happening.

monument

The Idyl Race wrote: »

Fascinating though how foggy's desire to jail supporters of the WRC hasn't generated any other comment.

Why do you think it warrants further comment?

I'm open to correction from foggy on this, but where he said "arrest and prison for the responsible parties" it would seem like he means for the responsible ministers or government cabinet for such waste of money.

There is -- as far as I know -- know such laws which would allow that. Unless maybe corruption could be proven (which nobody has even attempted to do so). I wish scandalously wasting tax payer's money equaled corruption -- but it does not. Anyway, people often say TDs should be kicked out of office or arrested for wasting money -- there's not much to say in reply.

The Idyl Race wrote: »

BTW I'm not the one having to "address" anything. Put a stamp on that.

You don't have to address anything, but lack of population density and the quality of the line rank as far larger issues than the ones you were trying to dismiss or poke fun at.

corktina

The Idyl Race wrote: »

Fascinating though how foggy's desire to jail supporters of the WRC hasn't generated any other comment.

mere hyperbole.... instead of taking it seriously to bash Foggy with, how about giving some reasons why it's a good idea to re-open the rest of the WRC. The "because it's there (or was)" arguement wont stand up on it's own.

end of the road

eastwest wrote: »

The legislation is there already but CIE won't spend money on lawyers where closed lines are concerned, unless the lines have a realistic chance of being reopened.
In limerick a farmer built cattle sheds partly on the alignment of the old limerick-Tralee line and CIE's response was to ask the greenway group to try to find a compromise with the farmer. No lawyer was involved.
To be fair to CIE, they don't have a budget for protecting abandoned lines. Questions need to be asked of the inter-county railway committee though; they are mostly county councillors and could have protected the route over the years. You would have to ask, why do they turn a blind eye to these incursions?

well you see the amendment i'm proposing would debunk the need for courts and lawyers as CIE would be able to just go in and remove any obstructions on the lines, any of the possession laws wouldn't apply to rail routes so those who put obstructions on the line would have no rights no matter how long the obstruction was there or how long the line is closed, so the farmer your referring to could have his shed forcabley removed and their would be nothing he could do about it under my proposed amendment.

eastwest

end of the road wrote: »

well you see the amendment i'm proposing would debunk the need for courts and lawyers as CIE would be able to just go in and remove any obstructions on the lines, any of the possession laws wouldn't apply to rail routes so those who put obstructions on the line would have no rights no matter how long the obstruction was there or how long the line is closed, so the farmer your referring to could have his shed forcabley removed and their would be nothing he could do about it under my proposed amendment.

In theory, if government was interested in this issue, an amendment such as you propose would make a certain amount of sense.
The reality though is that government doesn't give a toss about the WRC, and CIE knows that and is equally disinterested. If CIE won't use existing means to keep routes open, they won't be interested in amending legislation either.
All closed lines have been abandoned to squatters. That has been the case all over Ireland, and the WRC is no different. In another decade we won't own very much of this public strip of land.
A greenway would protect the route, but WOT have firmly dismissed this option and their servants in Dáil Éireann are afraid to go against them.
Stalemate!

westtip

eastwest wrote: »

In theory, if government was interested in this issue, an amendment such as you propose would make a certain amount of sense.
The reality though is that government doesn't give a toss about the WRC, and CIE knows that and is equally disinterested. If CIE won't use existing means to keep routes open, they won't be interested in amending legislation either.
All closed lines have been abandoned to squatters. That has been the case all over Ireland, and the WRC is no different. In another decade we won't own very much of this public strip of land.
A greenway would protect the route, but WOT have firmly dismissed this option and their servants in Dáil Éireann are afraid to go against them.
Stalemate!

#

Plus the role of the county councils in this debacle - sligo, mayo and galway county plans all have reference to supporting the strategic objective to re-open the western Rail corridor, of course very little thought has been given as to why this is a strategic objective; and even less practical work has been done. The planning departments - in particular in Sligo Coco - clearly never refered to the county plan when they were handing out planning permissions - which have allowed more private driveways over the rail line, have allowed houses to be built and extended within yards of the alignment, have said nothing about front and back gardens being extended over the line - or businesses using the line as a car showroom. West on Track would do themselves a big favour - if instead of putting their energies into being so anti-greenway at all costs - to actually ask the councils WTF are they doing with all these planning permissions they gave that clearly contravened the county councils strategic plan to support the re-opening of the WRC. All those councillors on the Western Intercounty Railway committee should be knocking on the county managers doors to say - why did you allow this to happen - of course we may find - I don't know - but it is possible, in several cases, in which councillors may have lobbied on behalf of applicants to allow all this encroachment to happen, and as we know one councillor is not going to tread on the toes of another are they? West on Track are very fond of using phrases like the the WRC which is supported by all the democratically elected councillors in the west etc - but never spell it out that these very same councillors have done sweet fanny adam - to actually protect the line by stopping the kind of encroachment that has been shown many times on this thread.

Instead West on Track - put their efforts into producing reports saying a greenway will not be possible along the route from claremorris to collooney due to problems on the line - You may notice they have never put out a press release expressing their concerns about how the democratically elected councillors have continued to allow encroachment and have not implemented the strategic objectives of the county plans...Oh no lets not upset our friends and mouthpieces - the councillors, county planners and county managers for not doing their jobs.

eastwest

westtip wrote: »

#

Plus the role of the county councils in this debacle - sligo, mayo and galway county plans all have reference to supporting the strategic objective to re-open the western Rail corridor, of course very little thought has been given as to why this is a strategic objective; and even less practical work has been done. The planning departments - in particular in Sligo Coco - clearly never refered to the county plan when they were handing out planning permissions - which have allowed more private driveways over the rail line, have allowed houses to be built and extended within yards of the alignment, have said nothing about front and back gardens being extended over the line - or businesses using the line as a car showroom. West on Track would do themselves a big favour - if instead of putting their energies into being so anti-greenway at all costs - to actually ask the councils WTF are they doing with all these planning permissions they gave that clearly contravened the county councils strategic plan to support the re-opening of the WRC. All those councillors on the Western Intercounty Railway committee should be knocking on the county managers doors to say - why did you allow this to happen - of course we may find - I don't know - but it is possible, in several cases, in which councillors may have lobbied on behalf of applicants to allow all this encroachment to happen, and as we know one councillor is not going to tread on the toes of another are they? West on Track are very fond of using phrases like the the WRC which is supported by all the democratically elected councillors in the west etc - but never spell it out that these very same councillors have done sweet fanny adam - to actually protect the line by stopping the kind of encroachment that has been shown many times on this thread.

Instead West on Track - put their efforts into producing reports saying a greenway will not be possible along the route from claremorris to collooney due to problems on the line - You may notice they have never put out a press release expressing their concerns about how the democratically elected councillors have continued to allow encroachment and have not implemented the strategic objectives of the county plans...Oh no lets not upset our friends and mouthpieces - the councillors, county planners and county managers for not doing their jobs.

It is certainly a bizarre situation, when you consider that there is at least one county manager who signs off on planning permissions that effectively help preclude railway development and who also sits on the inter county railway committee that purports to favour railways.
Makes you wonder what this railway committee is all about. Are they in favour of a railway, or are they just anti-tourism? How can anyone explain their apparent manoeuvre on recent weeks that saw a valid community-based submission on walking and cycling to one local authority effectively buried? What on earth is this small group of local politicians and public servants up to?
If I live to be a hundred, I'll never fully understand the rats nest of strokes and self-interest that makes up the local authority sector in Ireland. Democracy, it ain't.

The Idyl Race

monument wrote: »

Why do you think it warrants further comment?

I'm open to correction from foggy on this, but where he said "arrest and prison for the responsible parties" it would seem like he means for the responsible ministers or government cabinet for such waste of money.

There is -- as far as I know -- know such laws which would allow that. Unless maybe corruption could be proven (which nobody has even attempted to do so). I wish scandalously wasting tax payer's money equaled corruption -- but it does not. Anyway, people often say TDs should be kicked out of office or arrested for wasting money -- there's not much to say in reply.





You don't have to address anything, but lack of population density and the quality of the line rank as far larger issues than the ones you were trying to dismiss or poke fun at.

Actually the reason why my tone is what it is here is that I made a serious attempt to address population densities and a lack of a rail service elsewhere in the country on a another thread a few months ago and several regulars ran to the mod and got the thread hobbled. I have no interest in repeating myself adnauseum.

westtip

from last weeks sligo champion

Greenway has potential to boost tourism and create employment

Don Dirrane of the Yeats County Inn, Curry, who is supporting the development of a Greenway on the Western Rail Corridor, points to the old railway track running behind the Yeats County Inn


Tuesday January 15 2013
DON Dirrane of the Yeats County Inn, Curry, says a Greenway on the WRC has the potential to create employment and boost tourism.

He said: "We've seen the great success of the Western Greenway in Mayo and there is no reason why Sligo can't repeat that.

The Curry-based businessman said the people in Westport and Newport benefited greatly by having a cycleway and walkway in their area.

With very little effort, Sligo could do the same.

Don said: "This Greenway could be provided very easily. If people want to bring the railway back at a later stage that could be done too."

He said towns such as Tubbercurry and Charlestown would jump at the opportunity to have a Greenway running through them.

Mr. Dirrane said: "It would also provide a major recreational facility at minimum cost and in a safe environment. It would also lead to job creation. Visitors and tourists would spend money in our area."

SEE REPORT HERE: http://www.sligochampion.ie/news/greenway-has-potential-to-boost-tourism-and-create-employment-3360923.html

AND WEST ON TRACKS RESPONSE HERE!!

http://www.sligochampion.ie/news/in-favour-of-railway-3360927.html

eastwest

westtip wrote: »

from last weeks sligo champion



SEE REPORT HERE: http://www.sligochampion.ie/news/greenway-has-potential-to-boost-tourism-and-create-employment-3360923.html

AND WEST ON TRACKS RESPONSE HERE!!

http://www.sligochampion.ie/news/in-favour-of-railway-3360927.html

That comment by mr O'Rattelly has got to be the quote of the year so far on this issue.
Here's the paragraph from the Sligo champion...
"Mr. O Rallaghaigh described as "entirely disingenuous" comparing the Claremorris to Collooney rail line to the Great Western Greenway in Mayo.
He said: "The Great Western Way is built along the route of the Westport to Achill railway that was taken up in 1937. It runs through some of the most magnificent scenery in Mayo.
"There is no comparable scenery along the Claremorris-Collooney route, which remains a rail line in the possession of the State."

I'm sure that mr O'Rattelly's neighbours will be dismayed that he considers the tranquil rural area around Claremorris as being inferior to the area around Westport. Different, yes, but not comparable?
As somebody who likes to hike and cycle in rural areas, I would say that the two areas compare very well. Sections of the mayo greenway are certainly spectacular, but eyes that refused to see could consider some sections of that trail to be boring and uninteresting as well. Anyone who likes to be out in the country on a trail away from traffic would love to cycle of walk the old railway route. Apart from a beautiful rural landscape, the route has some great features of railway heritage, bridges, station houses and embankments that carry the trail on a high airy route.
The problem with people like this, including many councillors, is that they don't get it. They wouldn't dream of taking a holiday cycling around ireland and they can't understand that anyone else would either.
It is interesting to note a subtle shift in emphasis in mr O'Rattelly's statement though. Previous statements have all been about the viability of a railway, but he has now shifted to emphasising that the route isn't suitable for a cycle trail. Interesting shift of direction for WOT.

serfboard

eastwest wrote: »

I'm sure that mr O'Rattelly's neighbours will be dismayed that he considers the tranquil rural area around Claremorris as being inferior to the area around Westport.

Nice one!

eastwest wrote: »

It is interesting to note a subtle shift in emphasis in mr O'Rattelly's statement though. Previous statements have all been about the viability of a railway, but he has now shifted to emphasising that the route isn't suitable for a cycle trail. Interesting shift of direction for WOT.

The success of the Great Western Greenway really represents a major threat to WOT. In acknowledging its success (which they have to), their rebuttal is to say that its solely due to the spectacular scenery.

Day by day the logic of a Greenway on the WRC gains more traction, and the logic of using it for a trainline loses support. I wouldn't even presume, if I were Mr O Rallaghaigh, to rely on the support of councillors as they are just as likely to do a volte-face if the Greenway seems to be a vote winner.

I would also like to draw people's attention to this thread which is showing the progress being made on the Tralee-Fenit Greenway, as well as to observe that the Great Southern Trail has now made it as far as the borders of Kerry.

The rolling out and usage of old train lines as Greenway is an unstoppable train (:o) and we in the west better get "on board" (:D).

westtip

serfboard wrote: »

Nice one!


The success of the Great Western Greenway really represents a major threat to WOT. In acknowledging its success (which they have to), their rebuttal is to say that its solely due to the spectacular scenery.

Day by day the logic of a Greenway on the WRC gains more traction, and the logic of using it for a trainline loses support. I wouldn't even presume, if I were Mr O Rallaghaigh, to rely on the support of councillors as they are just as likely to do a volte-face if the Greenway seems to be a vote winner.

I would also like to draw people's attention to this thread which is showing the progress being made on the Tralee-Fenit Greenway, as well as to observe that the Great Southern Trail has now made it as far as the borders of Kerry.

The rolling out and usage of old train lines as Greenway is an unstoppable train (:o) and we in the west better get "on board" (:D).

The same spokesperson before Christmas on Midwest Radio said he fully respected the opinions of the people of Swinford when they had expressed a wish for a Greenway in the leaked document Swinford A vision for the future. He also added something along the lines that the railway alignment may not be needed the whole way along its route as they may need to pick a different route for some parts of the WRC - this was a new line of argument none of us had heard before! but was a total departure on all we had heard before. But he said he wouldn't have a problem with a greenway going on that part of the route they (West on Track) don't want, how very magnaminous of them!

The truth is as other posters have pointed out, the wheels have fallen off west on tracks arguments, they are now clutching at straws, it is only a matter of time before the greenway becomes the defacto only option open to our body politic, when our politicians read the kind of article like the one in the Sligo Champion and begin to read that local business poeple, the likes of Don Dirrane of the Yeats County Inn is not a lone voice, the businesses are the ones now asking for a Greenway, they (our politicians) will perhaps look at the claim of West on Track having thousands of signatures on a petition that is now 6 or 7 years old as not being relevant in todays climate. The support West on Track claim to have of all the councils, plus all the quango's we have in the west is increasingly less of an argument to say a railway is ever going to happen or is the only option. The tide has turned.

eastwest

westtip wrote: »

...... the likes of Don Dirrane of the Yeats County Inn is not a lone voice, the businesses are the ones now asking for a Greenway, they (our politicians) will perhaps look at the claim of West on Track having thousands of signatures on a petition that is now 6 or 7 years old as not being relevant in todays climate. The support West on Track claim to have of all the councils, plus all the quango's we have in the west is increasingly less of an argument to say a railway is ever going to happen or is the only option. The tide has turned.

It was very easy to collect a few thousand signatures when people were asked whether they wanted a railway. Of course we wanted a railway, in case we ever felt like using it, but that's nothing to do with whether a railway is the correct use for this asset at this point in time.
Equally it would be possible to gather signatures if the question was posed, 'would you like a greenway?' That's not the point though; it's about what is best for the region and for the country.
At this point, a greenway will provide jobs, business opportunities and a great amenity for Irish people, at very little expenditure. At some future time, a railway may well be the right choice, but how can we have a railway if there's nowhere to put it?
Unfortunately the decision will not be made on the basis of what is best for the people; as usual, it will be made on the basis of what is best for the politicians. We only win out when these interests overlap.

The Idyl Race

eastwest wrote: »

It was very easy to collect a few thousand signatures when people were asked whether they wanted a railway. Of course we wanted a railway, in case we ever felt like using it, but that's nothing to do with whether a railway is the correct use for this asset at this point in time.
Equally it would be possible to gather signatures if the question was posed, 'would you like a greenway?' That's not the point though; it's about what is best for the region and for the country.
At this point, a greenway will provide jobs, business opportunities and a great amenity for Irish people, at very little expenditure. At some future time, a railway may well be the right choice, but how can we have a railway if there's nowhere to put it?
Unfortunately the decision will not be made on the basis of what is best for the people; as usual, it will be made on the basis of what is best for the politicians. We only win out when these interests overlap.

At the risk of stating the bleeding obvious, don't vote for politicians that don't represent your views. If you feel strongly enough about the Greenway issue get a campaign going in real life that will ensure that you have county councillors and TDs that reflect what you want. If necessary run Greenway not railway candidates if you get equivocal answers from the existing slate.

eastwest

The Idyl Race wrote: »

At the risk of stating the bleeding obvious, don't vote for politicians that don't represent your views. If you feel strongly enough about the Greenway issue get a campaign going in real life that will ensure that you have county councillors and TDs that reflect what you want. If necessary run Greenway not railway candidates if you get equivocal answers from the existing slate.

That might be a possible answer at the next local election. It would be difficult to get people to move from their FG/FF tribal roots, but it might be possible to ensure that a targeted councillor was not elected.

The Idyl Race

eastwest wrote: »

That might be a possible answer at the next local election. It would be difficult to get people to move from their FG/FF tribal roots, but it might be possible to ensure that a targeted councillor was not elected.

Get westtip to run. He's passionate and articulate about his cause and would have no problem in putting his point over.

eastwest

We'd have to check him out, make sure he isn't a closet County Councillor who soothes his conscience by posting on Boards.ie.

Sponge Bob

They are unanimously against a Greenway.

http://www.sligotoday.ie/details.php?id=14828

Committee Chairman, Cllr Michael McGreal from Roscommon, explained: “We unanimously decided it is not possible on a proposed railway route to go ahead with a Greenway and we as a group do not support it.

and of course opposing it would curb the expenses gravy train for these people:

The Sligo County councillors on the Western Inter-County Railway Committee are:
Cllr Michael Fleming (FG)
Cllr Margaret Gormley (Ind)
Cllr Jerry Lundy (FF)
Cllr Thomas Collery (FG)
Cllr Gerry Murray (FG)

But they have been around for 30+ years, were publishing reports certainly as early as 1992 > http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000009194/Details and they sure aren't going anywhere quietly.

Not that they are going anywhere...period!

westtip

Sponge Bob wrote: »

They are unanimously against a Greenway.

http://www.sligotoday.ie/details.php?id=14828



and of course opposing it would curb the expenses gravy train for these people:



But they have been around for 30+ years, were publishing reports certainly as early as 1992 > http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000009194/Details and they sure aren't going anywhere quietly.

Not that they are going anywhere...period!

That is for sure - one thing you have to admire is the tenacity of West on Track - the reference to a 1992 report OMG 21 years ago is a new piece of information in the jigsaw, thanks for that one. The 2011 rebuttal of a greenway was their first shot back at SligoMayo Greenway campaign - and was probably a response to the shock that hit them in May 2009 when Eamon O'Cuiv in the Lions Den of the last WRC "conference" in Claremorris - when as a government minister he suggested using the line as a greenway - this met with a stony response from the Chair of the conference and assembled yes men on the platform. Times have changed and the Western Inter County Railway Committee is losing the PR battle, People (Swinford Vision for the future and Tuam Greenway Project) are openly asking for a Greenway, Businesses (the likes of don dirrane in the Sligo champion), are asking for a Greenway - sooner or later the penny will drop....but when?

BTW I love the reference in the Sligotoday link from 2011, that refers to a line from Claremorris to Knock Airport, they actually mean Charlestown about 6km from the airport for which a minibus shuttle would be required. The Service levels required for a train service to be of any use to an airport is a train about every 20 minutes whilst flights are operational - For Knock this would be a 3 tains an hour service from about 7.00 am until 6.00 pm. Hilarious stuff when you think about it. Maybe they seriously do mean to divert the railway up the hill to Knock airport terminal for a fully integrated rail/air link....OMG lets not put ideas in their heads!!!!

Sponge Bob

westtip wrote: »

Maybe they seriously do mean to divert the railway up the hill to Knock airport terminal for a fully integrated rail/air link....OMG lets not put ideas in their heads!!!!

They do mean a railway spur to Knock Airport from the old line that runs around 3 miles north of it.

I'd estimate that the last mile will have to be in a tunnel and with the railway terminal located deep under the passenger terminal in Knock. Sure it's the least they could do for Knock Airport.

corktina

Sponge Bob wrote: »

They do mean a railway spur to Knock Airport from the old line that runs around 3 miles north of it.

I'd estimate that the last mile will have to be in a tunnel and with the railway terminal located deep under the passenger terminal in Knock. Sure it's the least they could do for Knock Airport.

a tunnel? well I guess it would drain the bog for miles around ...

serfboard

I've been wondering about this Western Inter-County Railway Committee - what it is, when it was started and so on.

According to this,the committee was established in 1977, "due to the railway compnay's plan to totally abandon the line from Claremorris to Collooney". According to the same page, there was (is?) also a "joint railway committee of the Western Regional Development Organisation".

Anyway, the commitee "represents local authorities from Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo, Roscommon, Galway and Clare" (link).

What's interesting to me is that this committee is composed of local councillors who seemingly get expenses for attending its meetings (I loved the quote from this page - "Dr. Mícheál MacGréil, SJ., expressed his satisfaction at the presence of such a large attendance of Councillors, many of whom were on the Western Inter-County Railway Committee for the first time."). Now if councillors are being paid expenses to attend a meeting, they're hardly going to go along to said meeting and say "this committee is a load of crap and I'm not going to be a part of it any more". They'll turn up and voice support for the WRC and collect the expenses.

Therefore, if that is part (all?) of their motivation, why not call for the establishment of a "Western Inter-County Greenway Committee"? This committee would serve to advance the cause of establishing Greenways throughout the West of Ireland, using, in cases, abandoned railway lines - Wesport->Achill (already done) Galway->Clifden (parts in planning), Galway->Sligo, the West Clare Railway and so on.

Either that, or will somebody please tell the troika that this is what we're spending our money on?

And finally, I couldn't find a complete list of who is on it. Anyone have one?

dowlingm

The problem is that it's not a statutory body so would be difficult to apply FOIA to it?

The Idyl Race

serfboard wrote: »

Either that, or will somebody please tell the troika that this is what we're spending our money on?

Perhaps the County Councillors who were accused upthread should be given a right to reply?

Sponge Bob

A few months back!! Patsy works for CIE by the way...and farms.

http://www.con-telegraph.ie/news/latest-news/3174-freight-business-key-to-future-of-western-rail-corridor-landowners-told-there-are-no-proposals-for-claremorris-ballinrobe-greenway

Councillor Patsy O’Brien, at a meeting of the council’s Claremorris area committee, said there is a lot of pressure coming on to establish a greenway on the route, which is owned by Iarnrod Éireann.

He meant from Colooney to Athenry. Still and all he wanted to be absolutely clear about the matter.

The rail corridor will reach Tuam, he said, and with it being done in stages, Claremorris was down the line, with a later link to Knock airport also feasible. To start taking bits out of it would, he said, be irresponsible.
Councillor O’Brien added he wasn’t against greenways, but it was a case of ‘everything in its right place’. Suggestions, for example, to run a walkway alongside the railway line wouldn’t work.

Patsy is also he who believes that the line from Ballyhaunis to Castlebar is "the busiest line in Ireland" .

pigtown

Does anyone think that the best thing for the WRC would be to position it as a Galway-Limerick-Cork link? As it stands a direct train from Limerick to Cork (if it were possible) would be 5 minutes faster than the bus. I realise the Limerick- Galway section is much slower but would it be possible to increase speeds along the entire Cork-Galway route to make it competitive? I know passing loops at Sixmilebridge and Oola could make a difference.

corktina

clutching at straws to try and get extra passengers on the line is not the way to invest assets. I'd say Citylinks service would knock this rail service into a cocked hat...express Cork-Limerick-Galway with no intermediate stops, the railway can't do this.

The Idyl Race

Sponge Bob wrote: »

A few months back!! Patsy works for CIE by the way...and farms.

http://www.con-telegraph.ie/news/latest-news/3174-freight-business-key-to-future-of-western-rail-corridor-landowners-told-there-are-no-proposals-for-claremorris-ballinrobe-greenway



He meant from Colooney to Athenry. Still and all he wanted to be absolutely clear about the matter.



Patsy is also he who believes that the line from Ballyhaunis to Castlebar is "the busiest line in Ireland" .

There's probably more users of that stretch of railway than on the M9. If anyone wants to go running to the Troika about waste then someone like Vincent Salafina should do a dossier on the costs and pitiful benefits of that, apart from any profits made by the landowners.

Perhaps the M9 should then be broken up, the land sold off and those who deal in bits of tarmac can buy the nice bits of bitumen hardtop to pave driveways and that. Bit of a jobs boost in breaking it up and the State can get a handy windfall to chuck at the bondholders