Western Rail Corridor / Rail Trail Discussion

Sam Russell · 12-04-2021 08:52PM

Deleted User wrote: »

There's a reason they didnt do that, it would have ended up being a parking lot like the M50 at peak times.

The M17/M18 is located where it is to deliberately not become a part of the city network of roads.

So they are now planning such a car park - a bypass or a ring road, or whatever they call it this week.

Planning was never a strong suit in Galway - City or County.

westtip · 12-04-2021 09:24PM

Sam Russell wrote: »

The motorway is built, but it is too far east of Galway, the jams at the Coolagh Roundabout are testimony to that.

The M18/M17 should have been built as the M20 between Limerick and Cork.

Whether the M17 should have been built as a motorway is a different question - would a DC like the Tuam bypass have been enough - probably.

But it is built, and will be paid for before the train will travel from Athenry to Tuam.

I think the M17/18 route was never seen as a point to point motorway, in fact the rationale for it was the Atlantic Road Corridor which came about in the Transport 21 strategy in the Celtic Tiger years - to have a dual carriageway from Derry to Cork, and you are right DC would be perfectly acceptable. In fact it is a similar rationale to the WRC, except it is an idea that will deliver benefit to the entire western region compared to a slow under used train service. In fact you could say once this idea became part of official transport planning in this state it meant the end of the Western Rail Corridor, the writing was effectively on the wall once this idea became official thinking, from that day on successive Governments only paid lip service to west on track.

12-04-2021 10:02PM

Sam Russell wrote: »

So they are now planning such a car park - a bypass or a ring road, or whatever they call it this week.

Planning was never a strong suit in Galway - City or County.

No argument there....on both points

ShaneC1600 · 13-04-2021 07:49AM

Sam Russell wrote: »

The M17 should have been routed along the outer bypass, and provided that function.

The current route dumps all East Galway, South Galway, and east of Athenry traffic at the Coolagh roundabout. That is the problem.

Regardless of where any new route runs into Galway City the end of the road will be a roundabout of some description where traffic will build up.

Sam Russell · 13-04-2021 10:11AM

ShaneC1600 wrote: »

Regardless of where any new route runs into Galway City the end of the road will be a roundabout of some description where traffic will build up.

Galway have a solution to roundabouts. They name them after the twelve tribes of Galway. Once the go to build the thirteenth, they select one of the twelve already named and change it back to the original traffic light controlled junctions.

They have done a few already, and we await the Coolagh roundabout becoming free-flow.

[By the way, that is meant as a joke].

serfboard · 13-04-2021 04:02PM

Sam Russell wrote: »

The motorway is built, but it is too far east of Galway, the jams at the Coolagh Roundabout are testimony to that.

The traffic jams at Coolagh don't prove your point at all.

Any alignment without a city bypass and/or bus park n' rides would have produced the same result.

westtip · 30-04-2021 04:26PM

Anyone any idea what happened to that Velorail project that got three grants of €180k originally, then €117k when the original funding wasn't enough then another €198K when they chanced their arm for more money under Leader funding with an application in November 2018.

I was always under the impression that Leader funding only went to new projects and it wasn't in Leader funding regulations if a project already had 200K in funding it could not get anymore funding.

I seem to remember this being the case, Maybe that rule doesn't apply when you ask in Mayo? It must have been some compelling application to get another bung of €198,000 back in 2019 when they had already received nearly €300k in public funding. I'd love to see that funding application and the arguments they put forward that were so compelling they got another €200k, I wonder how they explained how the first tranche of grants for €180k and €117k were spent, I assume they gave a good account of how that money had been spent because the entire original project was budgeted to be €200k for the whole caboogle and they still managed to squeeze another €198k out of leader capital funding.

eastwest · 30-04-2021 04:57PM

westtip wrote: »

Anyone any idea what happened to that Velorail project that got three grants of €180k originally, then €117k when the original funding wasn't enough then another €198K when they chanced their arm for more money under Leader funding with an application in November 2018.

I was always under the impression that Leader funding only went to new projects and it wasn't in Leader funding regulations if a project already had 200K in funding it could not get anymore funding.

I seem to remember this being the case, Maybe that rule doesn't apply when you ask in Mayo? It must have been some compelling application to get another bung of €198,000 back in 2019 when they had already received nearly €300k in public funding. I'd love to see that funding application and the arguments they put forward that were so compelling they got another €200k, I wonder how they explained how the first tranche of grants for €180k and €117k were spent, I assume they gave a good account of how that money had been spent because the entire original project was budgeted to be €200k for the whole caboogle and they still managed to squeeze another €198k out of leader capital funding.

I think that project is probably finished and ready to open. The first money was for the project, including the carts, and the second was for an overspend, I think. And as I remember, the third tranche of money was to finish the project and buy the carts.
So it must be well finished by now, with maybe two sets of carts, judging by the funding applications. I'd say there'll be a ribbon cutting ceremony there one of these days. It was probably just delayed because of covid, waiting for the crowds of tourists to be able to travel..

westtip · 30-04-2021 05:35PM

eastwest wrote: »

I think that project is probably finished and ready to open. The first money was for the project, including the carts, and the second was for an overspend, I think. And as I remember, the third tranche of money was to finish the project and buy the carts.
So it must be well finished by now, with maybe two sets of carts, judging by the funding applications. I'd say there'll be a ribbon cutting ceremony there one of these days. It was probably just delayed because of covid, waiting for the crowds of tourists to be able to travel..

Not heard if its finished yet, it must be though, the license expires in 2027 at this rate it will never get off the ground!

eastwest · 01-05-2021 08:58AM

westtip wrote: »

Not heard if its finished yet, it must be though, the license expires in 2027 at this rate it will never get off the ground!

The license isn't an issue, Irish Rail will be happy to give them another ten years to keep fluting around and making grant applications.
After all, it's not like there are any plans to put a train on it.

westtip · 01-05-2021 01:02PM

eastwest wrote: »

The license isn't an issue, Irish Rail will be happy to give them another ten years to keep fluting around and making grant applications.
After all, it's not like there are any plans to put a train on it.

Yep they are dab hands at making those grant applications, nearly half a million to date and not yet up and running.:mad: 3 grants so far and there is another pot of leader funding up for grabs in Mayo!!! I bet they will be getting their application forms out soon to subvent the running of the whole thing cos it will lose money hand over fist.

Thinking about the weather today, even in this wind I bet there are people out on the greenways around the country even in these blowy conditions, can you imagine those heavy velo-rail carts with a wind behind them and then coming back from the trip down the line with the wind against them. They will be a tough sell as a leisure experience!

Pete_Cavan · 06-05-2021 09:23PM

Looks like the Velorail project isn't the only one getting grants, Ballyglunin station to get some restoration works done;

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/188041/0/0?returnUrl=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&b=ETENDERS_SIMPLE

Is it currently in any sort of use?

06-05-2021 10:02PM

Pete_Cavan wrote: »

Looks like the Velorail project isn't the only one getting grants, Ballyglunin station to get some restoration works done;

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/188041/0/0?returnUrl=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&b=ETENDERS_SIMPLE

Is it currently in any sort of use?

In fairness to the local folks, they've done a great job at restoring it.

Its been used for plays and some other bits pre-covid. I know they are looking at converting part of it into a remote work hub too.

Once the greenway opens I've no doubt it will do a roaring trade as a cafe

eastwest · 06-05-2021 11:00PM

Pete_Cavan wrote: »

Looks like the Velorail project isn't the only one getting grants, Ballyglunin station to get some restoration works done;

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/188041/0/0?returnUrl=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&b=ETENDERS_SIMPLE

Is it currently in any sort of use?

At least in the case of Ballyglunin, there's something to show for the funding, a heritage building saved from dereliction.
And once the greenway is eventually built, there will be a thriving cafe, bike hire, and probably a 'Quiet Man' museum shop and visitor centre on the site. There's certainly the potential for twenty or thirty FTE local jobs on the site, so any money invested there is well spent.
And then there's the velorail.....

westtip · 06-05-2021 11:02PM

Pete_Cavan wrote: »

Looks like the Velorail project isn't the only one getting grants, Ballyglunin station to get some restoration works done;

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/188041/0/0?returnUrl=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&b=ETENDERS_SIMPLE

Is it currently in any sort of use?

But I think this is their first grant, the Velorail project just keeps putting its paws in the honeypot, strange its allowed cos I thought you could only get LEADER funding for a capital project as a once off, I guess they must have just told LEADER they needed another €198k after already spending nearly €300K I am sure the Mayo L.A.G must have analysed it all very diligently. None of us seem to know what goes on with these LEADER fund grants it all seems very mysterious.

eastwest · 07-05-2021 10:27AM

westtip wrote: »

But I think this is their first grant, the Velorail project just keeps putting its paws in the honeypot, strange its allowed cos I thought you could only get LEADER funding for a capital project as a once off, I guess they must have just told LEADER they needed another €198k after already spending nearly €300K I am sure the Mayo L.A.G must have analysed it all very diligently. None of us seem to know what goes on with these LEADER fund grants it all seems very mysterious.

The murky water where the whole Leader and local grants species swim makes pea soup look crystal clear. I'd say that's a subject for a whole new thread.

Greaney · 07-05-2021 11:19AM

Pete_Cavan wrote: »

Looks like the Velorail project isn't the only one getting grants, Ballyglunin station to get some restoration works done;

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/188041/0/0?returnUrl=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&b=ETENDERS_SIMPLE

Is it currently in any sort of use?

Yes it is. The community are terrific and have been restoring the station for some years now. They use it as a community theater, park & venue for local events. The station is the heart of the community. You can see they have a very active/current facebook page here

Ballyglunin support the Western Rail Corridor

eastwest · 07-05-2021 02:28PM

Greaney wrote: »

Yes it is. The community are terrific and have been restoring the station for some years now. They use it as a community theater, park & venue for local events. The station is the heart of the community. You can see they have a very active/current facebook page here

Ballyglunin support the Western Rail Corridor

I'm sure everybody would like to see a railway built, but the reality is different. Although ironically Ballyglunin would do a lot better with a greenway in terms of local jobs and investment.
That's obviously an old FB post by the way, the route is now officially 'the western transport corridor.'

ezstreet5 · 07-05-2021 04:11PM

eastwest wrote: »

the route is now officially 'the western transport corridor.'

What are they transporting, and by what means?

end of the road · 07-05-2021 04:32PM

ezstreet5 wrote: »

What are they transporting, and by what means?

exactly.
the fact is, the western railway corridor is a railway line, a disused one but still one.

eastwest · 07-05-2021 04:42PM

end of the road wrote: »

exactly.
the fact is, the western railway corridor is a railway line, a disused one but still one.

North of claremorris, it isn't. Its closed, not disused, and Irish Rail has repeatedly said that the rails are scrap and don't constitute a railway.
South of claremorris, it's a closed railway. The entire route is designated as the western transport corridor, recognising its likely future as being broader than just Rail.

Greaney · 07-05-2021 04:47PM

eastwest wrote: »

I'm sure everybody would like to see a railway built, but the reality is different. Although ironically Ballyglunin would do a lot better with a greenway in terms of local jobs and investment.
That's obviously an old FB post by the way, the route is now officially 'the western transport corridor.'

You're entitled to your opinion, just as the residents & community group have theirs, which is different from yours

eastwest · 07-05-2021 05:14PM

Greaney wrote: »

You're entitled to your opinion, just as the residents & community group have theirs, which is different from yours

That#'s not an opinion, it's a fact. Check with the Department of Transport, or look at their submission to the Mayo County Development Plan -- it's on the Mayo County Council website.

end of the road · 07-05-2021 05:42PM

eastwest wrote: »

North of claremorris, it isn't. Its closed, not disused, and Irish Rail has repeatedly said that the rails are scrap and don't constitute a railway.
South of claremorris, it's a closed railway. The entire route is designated as the western transport corridor, recognising its likely future as being broader than just Rail.

still a railway ultimately between athenry to claremorris.
calling it the western transport corridor means nothing in reality, currently it's a disused railway.
actually transport corridor works more in favour of rail it could be argued given rail can be used any day of the year and in most types of weather, so actually perhapse in time the term could in fact become useful.

eastwest · 07-05-2021 06:20PM

end of the road wrote: »

still a railway ultimately between athenry to claremorris.
calling it the western transport corridor means nothing in reality, currently it's a disused railway.
actually transport corridor works more in favour of rail it could be argued given rail can be used any day of the year and in most types of weather, so actually perhapse in time the term could in fact become useful.

As I said, we're all in favour of a railway, it's just that some of us are pragmatists.
But while the line from Athenry to Claremorris is still a railway, albeit a closed one with a very slim chance of ever reopening, the one from Claremorris to Collooney is not a railway. It is however part of the WTC, and could in time become a railway. Apart from the bits that have been subsumed into other landholdings.

ezstreet5 · 07-05-2021 08:30PM

eastwest wrote: »

As I said, we're all in favour of a railway, it's just that some of us are pragmatists.
But while the line from Athenry to Claremorris is still a railway, albeit a closed one with a very slim chance of ever reopening, the one from Claremorris to Collooney is not a railway. It is however part of the WTC, and could in time become a railway. Apart from the bits that have been subsumed into other landholdings.

The whole line is "a railway" because Irish Rail can rebuild it tomorrow without a fresh Railway Order.

Decades · 08-05-2021 10:26AM

ezstreet5 wrote: »

The whole line is "a railway" because Irish Rail can rebuild it tomorrow without a fresh Railway Order.

Typical trainspotter drivel. They could also formerly abandon it tomorrow with a small advert in the back of the Irish Times. Symantec nonsense that serves no one.

eastwest · 08-05-2021 10:41AM

ezstreet5 wrote: »

The whole line is "a railway" because Irish Rail can rebuild it tomorrow without a fresh Railway Order.

They would need a railway order to build it north of claremorris.

ezstreet5 · 08-05-2021 10:49AM

eastwest wrote: »

They would need a railway order to build it north of claremorris.

On what basis?

end of the road · 08-05-2021 11:38AM

Decades wrote: »

Typical trainspotter drivel. They could also formerly abandon it tomorrow with a small advert in the back of the Irish Times. Symantec nonsense that serves no one.

it's still a railway, so he is correct.

Western Rail Corridor / Rail Trail Discussion

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