Western Rail Corridor (all disused sections)

Interesting press release this morning from greenway campaigners now taking a combined view from Sligo to Galway - but abombshell for WOT about Rail Users Ireland now supporting the greenway campaign

Press release From: The Western Rail Trail Campaign
Date October 12th: FOR IMMEDIATE USE ( 816 words)
• Greenway campaigners in Sligo, Mayo and Galway call on government to act on Western Rail Trail in budget and capital plans

• Rail Users Ireland Group calls trail campaign “appropriate and sensible proposal”

• Prominent West of Ireland Hoteliers back Western Rail Trail

• Three West of Ireland TDs, Tony Mcloughlin, John Perry and Colm Keaveny say Greenway now railway when we can afford the best option.

• Two Senators back greenway submission: Lorraine Higgins and Feargal Quinn.

• Thousands support campaign in social media groupings and call on Government to act.

The Western Rail Trail campaign, the umbrella organisation of campaign groups from Sligo to Galway campaigning for a greenway to be put in place on the closed railway line from Collooney to Athenry until such time as a railway might be possible has released a pre-budget submission to Government calling for action before any election.

Brendan Quinn of the WRT campaign said “We decided to put a joint submission into Government to make the minister aware that this idea has growing support throughout the West of Ireland. The campaign approached a number of organisations we felt may support us and were very pleased with the response."

Quinn added. “We would really like to thank the Rail Users Ireland Group for considering our proposal and coming on board with such a strong statement. We would like to share the full statement they gave us on September 30th when they told us they would support our submission:

Rail Users Group Ireland statement to Western Rail Trail Campaign on September 30th

START
Statement by Rail Users Ireland in response to Western Rail Trail Campaign Budget 2016 pre-budget submission, 30 September 2015.

Rail Users Ireland considers the proposal to provide a greenway along the alignment of the Western Rail Corridor to be an appropriate and sensible proposal to protect the railway alignment while providing a benefit to the local and wider community.

The greenway would ensure the right of way is maintained for future generations and allows for the development of a railway should circumstances change in the future to make such a development viable.
The provision of a greenway would reduce the cost of any reopening by ensuring the alignment is kept free of obstruction.
ENDS

The statement from Rail Users Group Ireland really sums up exactly what this project is about. Utilising a public facility now for the benefit of local communities whilst protecting the route for any future use as a railway.

Leading hoteliers also back greenway

The Irish Hotel Federation were approached to back the submission and we hope in time the IHF will give it’s full support to the plan. In the meantime, the campaign group has welcomed the personal endorsement and support from the Chairmen of the Galway, Mayo and Sligo/Leitrim IHF associations. Quinn said, there wasn’t sufficient time to get this proposal through all the hoops in time for the pre-budget submission, but we were really pleased to gain the personal support of leading figures in the West of Ireland hotel community to back the proposal, Shay Livingston MD of the Connacht Hotel in Galway, chairman of the Galway branch of the IHF, Michael Lennon MD of the Westport Woods Hotel, chairman of the Mayo branch of IHF and Brian Pierson MD of the Diamond Coast Hotel and chairman of the Sligo/Leitrim branch of the IHF all said they support the Western Rail Trail submission. Don Dirrane a leading Sligo hotelier also supports the plan.

Community Groups grow in support: Athenry-Tuam Axis gets stronger

Community groups from Athenry to Sligo are increasing in their support for the campaign. In Galway there is now a strong Athenry- Tuam axis of support for the greenway with thousands of people now in support of the idea from a number of organisations. In Sligo the Sligo Greenway Co-operative now has over 400 members who have committed to buy shares in the Sligo Greenway co-op. In Mayo, the fact that over 300 submissions were made to the county council two years ago asking for a greenway on the route and the Swinford Vision for the Future Survey in 2013 clearly shows there is huge public support for the idea in Mayo. The campaign estimate they now have over 10,000 supporters in Sligo Mayo and Galway based on internet support activity.

Growing political Support:

The pre-budget submission has been backed by three sitting TDs, Tony Mcloughlin (FG), John Perry (FG) and Colm Keaveny (FF) and two senators Lorraine Higgins (Lab) and Feargal Quinn (Ind), plus several councillors. In addition Sligo county council passed a motion in July 2014 calling on the government to provide fundings for a feasibility study on the route. This clearly shows the level of political support is increasing.

Quinn said “The government is becoming increasingly aware of the growing tide of public opinion that sees a greenway on this route as a sensible thing to do until such time as a railway is possible, we know Irish Rail support the idea. Now we have groups such as Rail Users Ireland saying the same, leading west of Ireland business people backing the idea and a growing number of local politicians on board isn’t it time to act. There must be room in the budget and the capital expenditure on new projects for this idea which is not a multi-million euro project but which will deliver untold benefits. The time has really come to say. We are going to do it”


ENDS: 816 words in main body text.

with the greatist of respect, i'd hardly call the support for a greenway by rail users ireland a "bombshell"

Muckyboots wrote: »

783 using Athenry-Ennis seems like healthy numbers when compared with population dense areas like Rush & Lusk to Dublin.

And herein lies your problem. You appear to be trying to use a population density argument in favour of Ennis-Athenry. If the state is willing to subsidise rail services across the board AND invest in new projects, then we don't have a problem. What people forget is that many arguments made against the WRC were based on historical evidence in relation to the states attitude to rail transport. The WRC doesn't cut it economically, especially when one considers that much of the network doesn't cut it either.

The Whest's still awake and so time for this again.

Del.Monte wrote: »

and this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0TkT3ctRIA

I thought that one was on the banned list!:D

Muckyboots wrote: »

783 using Athenry-Ennis seems like healthy numbers when compared with population dense areas like Rush & Lusk to Dublin.

That number is for the entire Line, not trips between those two stations.

Any passenger using any section of the line between Ennis and Athenry is in that 783 number.

https://www.nationaltransport.ie/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Heavy_Rail_Census_2014_Full_Report.pdf
printed page 25, actual page 27

Let's keep the discussion in this thread to disused sections, as per the title

Banjoxed wrote: »

There is a statement asserted as fact on the Sligo Mayo Greenway Campaign Facebook page that I personally know to be a lie. The individual(s) who made that statement did so knowingly presumably on the basis that any kind of statement, based on fact or otherwise, was grist to their cause. Now why is that?

Do tell, I looked at their page and it has a lot of stuff on it. Which one is a lie?

Banjoxed wrote: »

Something was asserted as a fact by "Sligo Mayo Greenway Campaign". Ask them.

I assume you mean this? I can't see them putting this up unless it's true, and I'm sure the various politicians would have an issue with it if it wasn't.
It's the only statement I can see on their page, the rest of their recent stuff is just debate.

"We like it when we get new politicians on board, so many thanks to Colm keaveney from the Galway East constituency for backing the Western Rail Trail pre-budget submission. Colm makes three sitting TDs with Tony Mcloughlin in Sligo a long time supporter and John Perry also in Sligo both putting their full weight behind the greenway. Thanks continue to go to Lorraine Higgins the galway based senator who has supported us tirelessly and now senator Feargal Quinn who has put his name to our pre-budget submission. It's great to have sitting TDs, and Senators in the Oireachtas who support us. We don't care about party politics but its good to see politicians who have the conviction to break away from the accepted norm. Thanks to Colm and Feargal for joining up to this campaign, your support is appreciated."

I'm like a lot of people, I don't have time to trawl through all their posts going back over several years, so if this isn't the piece you're referring to, could you say what it is?

Banjoxed wrote: »

I had deleted the original post before eastwest got stuck in and reposted my deleted post in his reply. I agree that the best place to address this is on the Facebook page.

I'd still love to know what it was!
You've made me curious, obviously it was something serious when you described it as a lie and not as a mistake or error.
So, I'm only human, I'd love to know.

Muckyboots wrote: »

Maybe it's that the SMG post says John O'Mahony is standing in Galway East. He is in fact standing in Galway West. That's definately not a "lie".
He'd be treated as a former Galway Football Manager in either constituency anyway and will probably get elected on this record rather than his rail not trail stance.

Could be that, although that's closer to a typo than a lie.
Not sure I'd agree about his chances of being elected. Parachute candidates tend to have an uphill climb and there are some strong existing contenders in Galway West.