Western Railway Corridor

[joey]

Is there any further development likely on the re-opening of the line between sligo and galway?

[ACustomer]

Given the absolutely dire state of the Government's finances, the chances of Sligo-Galway (or any part of it) must be close to zero. We will be very lucky not to have closure of part of the network. I wish people could get real about this.

[joey]

not necessarily, part of this has re-opened - galway - ennis. it's also in the transport 21 proposal. Granted yes the country is on its knees but IR have continued to invest in the western part if ireland. New line recently opened and the announcement of two new stations.

[Colm Moore]

New line recently opened and the announcement of two new stations.You do realise there was an election recently. :)

We're perfectly happy with infrastructure that people will use, e.g. an Oranmore station, although the location isn't actually Oranmore, but spending money that has a negative rate of return (even taking social factors into account) doesn't make sense.

[joey]

jeepers we are all in great form tonight!

[joey]

enda will push the button he is from the west! :)

[Mark Gleeson]

But the IMF won't

[comcor]

Is there any evidence that the number of users will be greater than the Rosslare to Waterford line, which was closed?

[Mark Gleeson]

The average number of passengers per train on Waterford Rosslare was higher than Ballybrophy Limerick and on a par with most trains between Athenry and Ennis

[joey]

So I take it phase 2 & 3 has been abandoned?

[weehamster]

Given that the Atlantic Road is a much more important and better option for the region as it will help economic growth rather than just the commuter side of things which the WRC is solely aimed at, then I can safely say yes to your answer.

We have to be ultra realistic nowadays about our finances and if the more important Atlantic Road is under threat because we don't have the cash and that no consortium is interested in PPP schemes (just look at the M17/M18 project) the WRC is a no go.

I have to say that to describe it as abandoned is the wrong word to use as truthfully, it really never had a chance to ever get started in the first place, especially phase 3 which will never happen in our life time.

[dowlingm]

joey

with what money would IE rebuild Athenry-Sligo? And even if they were given the money to build it, with what money and rolling stock would it operate it and subsidise fares to the point where people would buy them? And even if it did, what likelihood that an FG government would instruct Bus Eireann to stop trying to bury their "sister company" with ever more services?

The only capital works likely to be undertaken by IE in the next five years are ones for which contract penalties are sufficiently onerous or the state of life expired equipment is so scary that it must be done regardless or face another Broadmeadow.

[Lyle Langley]

I'd be a guy who romanticises about the old rail network and last weekend could marvel at the ability to get from a tiny village (Edale) to London really simply in the UK for a reasonable price.
I also am from Galway and recently used the Limerick service; obviously it would be great to extend northwards as planned but surely there is no chance of that happening in the near future. I assume there is little hope of it being profit-making.
We should be happy to have Limerick-Galway (albeit a desperately slow) service and just hope that lines aren't closed in the near future.