Western Rail Corridor / Rail Trail Discussion

[Deleted User] wrote: »

The worst outcome for all sides is a report which fudges the issue and results in the line being idle for another generation.

That pretty much sums up the plan for this asset.

serfboard wrote: »

Does this look like a Sinn Fein meeting, or a Western Rail Corridor meeting?
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It appears to be a Sinn Feín meeting discussing the "Western Rail Corridor". The heading gave the topic away and the Sinn Feín logo gave the rest away.

Sligo eye wrote: »

There is no such organisation as SF/WOT.

ShaneC1600 wrote: »

It appears to be a Sinn Feín meeting discussing the "Western Rail Corridor". The heading gave the topic away and the Sinn Feín logo gave the rest away.

Interesting. So where have West On Track gone, do you know?

eastwest wrote: »

The heading says 'western rail corridor', so I suppose that makes it a sinn fein event.

Whats the relevance of that? The Sinn Feín logo kinda makes it a Sinn Feín event

ShaneC1600 wrote: »

Whats the relevance of that? The Sinn Feín logo kinda makes it a Sinn Feín event

Or a GUE/NGL event according to another logo.
Logic would dictate these were all sponsors' logos, with the headline indicating it was a western rail corridor event.

end of the road wrote: »

i wouldn't bank on that happening.
young parents with young families have actual issues to worry about, costs of housing, costs of child care, etc.
sure, some might like a greenway, but actual issues are likely to trump it.

That is a fact and they might actually want their children to work in the future and improved transport might help them get there.

The only argument for a greenway along that route is the fact that there is a linear publicly owned asset already there.

Muckyboots wrote: »

In my opinion he has backed the wrong horse here and it will hit his vote hard where he should have had fertile ground ie young parents with young families. If that's his own honest opinion, judgment and stance (and not party orders), then fair play to him.

SF aren't allowed to depart from a rigid party line on issues like this. The 'western arc' is something that apparently came out of sinn fein in Shannon town many years ago, where a number of Derry families resettled during the early part of the troubles. They thought it would be nice to have a shorter rail route to Derry from Shannon than the existing one, in case any of them ever wanted to use it, and this appears to be the rationale for the policy merger between SF and WOT.

I was at the meeting in Athenry with regard to the Western Rail Corridor.

Numbers were okay. I knew people there who supported FF, Soc Dems, Independent. Most came from Athenry, but also some from Tuam and some from the city. The thrust of the meeting began with the WRC status with regards to funding in Europe. The main conclusion is there's no political will from FG for that peice of infrastructure.

1)The WRC seems to be put 'on and off' the list of infastructure funding requests for Ireland over the last few years.
2) The Western Rail Corridor has the backing from most of the member states who've said they've vote for it.
3) The applications for the funds have be sloppy as if the Government doesn't really want it
4) The east coast (aka, Dublin) is getting the main traunch of infrastructure funding.

A member of The Quiet Man Greenway group asked would Sinn Féin support a greenway, they said yes, but not at the expense of public transport. In that conversation Cllr Murray pointed out that a greenway would struggle to get built on the rail track as one of the critrea for funding was that the trail passed through an 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty'. He thought the rail didn't. Indeed, according to Galway Co. Co. Dev plan pg: 169 & 170, he's right.

The 'floor' were interested in the rail for commuting first and foremost. Many described the likes of commutes from say Tuam to Newcastle in Galway city that took an hour and a half. Then they spoke of infrastructure development that would lead to other investments. Another angle was that Athenry was both an education and disability hub. Tourism came up also.

The meeting also touched on the lack of rail in counties like Donegal etc. and what linking the main towns on the West Coast would mean.

Muckyboots wrote: »

That's just not true and Gerry Murray knows this. The greenway criteria uses the term "scenic" . Save us the effort of trying to convince you that Athenry is nestled in a scenic area. It is and it qualifies for funding. Next excuse Cllr Murray?

I didn't know for greenway funding it had to be in a scenic area, I actually thought the railway crowd were using that as a throw away comment! I totally agree "Athenry is nestled in a scenic area", where I wouldn't agree though is that the railway line runs through a scenic area. I have walked that line many times and yes its nice but you can't say its picturesque, beautiful (some locations are) breathtaking (only when its freezing cold) (I googled scenic and the WRC is not when you compare it to Westport or Connemara for instance)

I put it this way, if there was not a railway there, would people be looking for a greenway in the exact same place because of its scenic location?

Muckyboots wrote: »

I googled "Scenic" and I just got links to cheap second hand cars.

Very good

ShaneC1600 wrote: »

The only argument for a greenway along that route is the fact that there is a linear publicly owned asset already there.

And as a greenway it will protect the route for potential public transport like tram or light rail in the future, which happens to be the official line of policy from its owner.....Irish Rail.

ShaneC1600 wrote: »

I didn't know for greenway funding it had to be in a scenic area, I actually thought the railway crowd were using that as a throw away comment! I totally agree "Athenry is nestled in a scenic area", where I wouldn't agree though is that the railway line runs through a scenic area. I have walked that line many times and yes its nice but you can't say its picturesque, beautiful (some locations are) breathtaking (only when its freezing cold) (I googled scenic and the WRC is not when you compare it to Westport or Connemara for instance)

I put it this way, if there was not a railway there, would people be looking for a greenway in the exact same place because of its scenic location?

There are other options.

To get the kind of funding folk want to turn the WRC into a greenway, it has to tick a lot of boxes, and I don't believe it does. There are other ways to strategize to get a greenway(s) in the area. Alas, I think the Quiet Man Greenway campaign has only given itself option an 'a'. Its not a great strategy and the chances of such an inflexible project happening are slim. Funding is available for smaller projects so folk have to think of the long game.

The Dublin to Galway Velo is going ahead (contrary to what Ciarán Cannon TD has said). It's part of an EU plan to have major cycling arteries throughout Europe. Alas, I think Cannon has set it back a few years with his comments about CPO's.

Our best bet would be to explore a spur from that route, in time, and then develop loops. The easements around rivers have been suggested, which are the 'medieval highways' of Ireland, and may offer a lot of scenic cycles as they often pass castles and monastic sites. Furthermore, they may have easier public access issues.

Greaney wrote: »

There are other options.

To get the kind of funding folk want to turn the WRC into a greenway, it has to tick a lot of boxes, and I don't believe it does. There are other ways to strategize to get a greenway(s) in the area. Alas, I think the Quiet Man Greenway campaign has only given itself option an 'a'. Its not a great strategy and the chances of such an inflexible project happening are slim. Funding is available for smaller projects so folk have to think of the long game.

The Dublin to Galway Velo is going ahead (contrary to what Ciarán Cannon TD has said). It's part of an EU plan to have major cycling arteries throughout Europe. Alas, I think Cannon has set it back a few years with his comments about CPO's.

Our best bet would be to explore a spur from that route, in time, and then develop loops. The easements around rivers have been suggested, which are the 'medieval highways' of Ireland, and may offer a lot of scenic cycles as they often pass castles and monastic sites. Furthermore, they may have easier public access issues.

I liked the idea Gerry Murray had of the 8 to 10 km greenways around towns. That really could bring people to scenic sites around towns.

Muckyboots wrote: »

Not one of the present and future state funded greenways go through "Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty". Cllr Murray was spinning a bare faced lie and has been outed by local media too.

Why does the greenway supporters always compare the proposed western rail corridor greenway to the Westport one? The most comparable greenway must be the one in Athlone but I never hear the stats from that one used.