[Article] Iarnród Éireann says work is progressing on western rail link

[Colm Moore]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...253334919.html

Iarnród Éireann says work is progressing on western rail link
PAT FLYNN

IARNRÓD ÉIREANN has denied that a delay in the reopening of the western rail corridor has anything to do with the McCarthy report which claimed the project may not be viable.

The Ennis to Athenry line, which has been derelict since closing in 1976, was expected to reopen this month. However, Iarnród Éireann has now confirmed that services will not start until early December. The company has said the project is progressing, and that no mention has been made to it of the contents of the McCarthy report.

A spokeswoman said the latest delay had occurred because “tamping machinery” operating on the project has had to be seconded to carry out emergency work on the Sligo to Dublin line.

“The track has been laid and the line is complete and we are pressing ahead, although we are a small bit behind schedule. We still have some other work to carry out, for example, we are still completing works on the station and car park at Sixmilebridge.”

Explaining the reason for the delay, she added: “Tamping machines are used to go over the track and stress-test it before we can let trains run on it. There were some issues on the line in Sligo, so these tamping machines had to be diverted there from where they had been working on the Ennis to Athenry line. These machines are now back and working on the line, and we now expect a start date in early December.” The project is the only piece of transport infrastructure mentioned in the McCarthy report, raising fears that it could face the axe. There are also concerns the delay in opening the line has been orchestrated until the Government has decided which elements of the report will be implemented.

Clare Green Party councillor Brian Meaney said: “It would be a gross misuse of funds now not to complete the project when it is already practically complete.

“The issue of public transport links to two of the largest urban centres on the west coast greatly enhances the sustainability and future, both environmentally and economically, of the Limerick-Shannon-Ennis-Galway region.”

A spokesman for the West on Track Community Campaign has accused the author of the McCarthy report of “targeting the west of Ireland”. Colmán Ó Raghallaigh said: “The western rail corridor is a valid and sensible project, is supported by over 100,000 people, can be done at tremendous value to the taxpayer, and will be as viable as any other rail project in Ireland.

“The McCarthy report has chosen to pick one project from the plan that should be axed – the western rail corridor – which is about 1 per cent of the total budget.”

He added: “Colm McCarthy is targeting the west of Ireland and applying his Dublin 4 vision and prejudices to a completely different set of circumstances.”

[roamling]

The last thing we need is people telling us that the Western Corridor may not be viable. The current network is a complete joke in comparison to other European Countries. The Western Corridor should only be the first step into a much wider network extension. Why is there no train going to Donegal...!?!

[karlr42]

“Colm McCarthy is targeting the west of Ireland and applying his Dublin 4 vision and prejudices to a completely different set of circumstances.”

Colmán Ó Raghallaigh is targeting government coffers and applying his West of Ireland vision and prejudices to a completely different set of circumstances.

Seriously, the guys in WOT need to learn to argue the point, not the person, and end this hatred and criticism of Dublin. The fact of the matter is that Dublin is the major population centre in this country, with a quarter of the population and a large proportion of the jobs, it needs transport infrastructure like Pace, KRP, Interconnector and associated works and Metro/Luas in a way that is more pressing than the needs of lesser population centres.

[roamling]

Originally Posted by karlr42

... The fact of the matter is that Dublin is the major population centre in this country, with a quarter of the population and a large proportion of the jobs, it needs transport infrastructure like Pace, KRP, Interconnector and associated works and Metro/Luas in a way that is more pressing than the needs of lesser population centres.

that does not mean that the Dublin region gets everything and the rest of the country is neglected to a level were the infrastructure of public transport is completly inadequate. The needs of the "lesser population centres" have been neglected for far to long, no need to reiterate the fact how "small" they are...

[Mark Gleeson]

Problem is the WRC makes no effort to meet the needs of people. Its focused on the least populated parts of the country and will never have sufficient demand to justify a service

Really the same money should have been spent to provide a commuter rail service in both Limerick and Galway, same money, moves way more people and makes a serious contribution to reducing the chronic traffic problems both Limerick and Galway suffer from