Foynes Line

They got rid of a few manual crossings too and installed bridges in cork

There is not enough space for this, some of the route passes through narrow cuttings. It cannot be widened without blasting through solid rock, which costs money. The wanting something for nothing brigade strikes again.

They already have a lengthy greenway running from Ardagh to Listowel and looks likely to extend on into Tralee, surely that is enough for the kiddiwinks on their training wheels??

If there is space at this stage of reconstruction to allow for a Greenway In the future then it makes sense to ,

Obviously if it's difficult, costly or will significantly delay the reopening then it's not really a goer ..

Incidentally name one line that either closed because of a Greenway or wasn't reopened because of a Greenway ?

I'd say you're right. The line was never abandoned. Limerick County Council tried to declare the line as a protected structure in the mid 2000s to force Irish Rail to maintain it but it was blocked on the grounds that any upgrade work would require planning permission.

Maybe they should pay for it if they want it that badly?

They got the course of the former north kerry for a nominal fee, ie next to nothing.

There is no dispute of that, it seems you are the one who is struggling to deal with it. The railway is being upgraded and brought back into use which is apparently exactly what you want yet you still act as though cyclists pissed in your cornflakes.

Greenways are great if the line is a clear non runner.

Its building greenways on the likes of the Youghal line that grinds my gears.

in fairness it is a runner but there is going to have to be more development in the areas.

IE don't do plans for anything so that's irrelevant really, most of what they have done has been forced upon them rather then being done off their own back, the introduction of maynooth services in the 80s, reopening of the phoenix park tunnel to passengers, introduction of higher frequencies on lines in the mid 2000s as examples of where they have been forced to do things they wouldn't have done off their own back.

any of the closed lines that have been reopened have had their services end in the 60s or 70s, so that's irrelevant really, as if we aren't going to reopen anything because it lost it's services in 63, 67 or 76 then we will never reopen anything or should never have reopened anything, meaning the midleton branch which is part of the youghal line would never have reopened which would have been a stupid decision if it wasn't reopened.

navan lost it's services in 1958 as well as another example.

Better a greenway built than some houses or buildings or farmers claiming ownership over disused rail lines

If IE have enough land in the holding along Foynes line then a greenway is a great way to protect their holding in future, not only is it a good amenity for the area but the lands surrounding the line are protected against any unwanted development.

If they had the sense to pave the old rail lines in the 50s and 60s instead of letting them be built on or farmed we would have far more options today

It really depends on whether the line, particularly the bridges, was initially built with double tracking in mind or not. If it was then adding a greenway may not be too much of an issue if correctly segregated. Otherwise it would require the bridges to be modified and that could be significant.

Indeed, with the GST the land was transferred to Limerick and Kerry County Council. That's not the case here so personally I can't see it happen.

No ones going to encroach on it when it's an active line. Indulge this local group and run the risk of them whining and mounting objections if their leisure facility is taken away, no I dont think IE will be up for that at all.

If the last 60 odd years have taught us anything, its that people will encroach on any undeveloped land, be it corridor for a future road, or land surrounding an active rail line. Local politics will trump long term planning as it has in the past, reserving extra land along rail lines is a totally sensible plan in the long term - but if there is no immediate viability or plans in motion to add a rail line/passing loop etc on that alignment then the pressure to develop the land instead will trump all else