During a survey conducted on Saturday September 3rd 2005 the Rail Users Ireland survey team visited all key locations on the Clonsilla Navan route. Nothing prepared us for the scale of utter destruction Meath County Council has permitted on the apparently protected alignment.
Full details are available in our report.
Drumree and Dunsany
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Dunsany Bridge looking northwards, manhole cover in foreground |
Looking southwards towards Dunsany Bridge, note discarded sewer pipe |
These photographs show Meath County Council destroying the alignment between Drumree and Dunsany. Their action of laying a sewer pipe is in our opinion in direct breach of the Meath County Development Plan 2000 and will require removal at considerable expense if the line is reopened and will add delay to the project as a result.
Kilmessan
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A long row of houses have been built on the alignment south of Kilmessan |
The former station in Kilmessan is a hotel |
THe houses in Kilmessan date from the 1970's thus it is was a reasonable choice at the time to build on the alignment as a result Kilmessan will require a deviation, most likely to the west. There is simply not practical to engage in compulsory purchase on the scale required to regain the alignment.
Cannistown and the M3
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This is the site the NRA and Meath County Council have actively sought to hide from the public eye. This bridge is not shown on any NRA or M3 plan and is not referenced (as is required in an environmental impact statement). The photographs where taken from the the exact position of the southbound carriageway of the approved M3 route. Thankfully An Bord Pleanala stepped in a attached a condition that the bridge be provided, Meath CC had no intention of doing so.
Summary
Contrary to what Meath County Council say the Clonsilla Navan line is not being protected and owing to the trail of destruction we have presented above and in our report it is clear reopening Clonsilla Navan is by no means a simple matter.
Responsibility for reopening the line lies with the Department of Transport. Iarnród Éireann have no powers with respect to former alignments.