Western rail corridor (WRC) - Capital Plan

comcor · 14-09-2018, 15:01

The problem there is that the Athenry-Tuam motorway has completely blown Tuam's score to pieces. Where it had 100 for lack of road competition, that is now a 0. It's score is now a rather mid-table 41.

I was always perplexed by using scores from Gateways and Hubs from the National Spatial Strategy in this as well, seeing that the designation was rather arbitrary and more suited to help local politicians in 2002 than actually develop a strategy (I mean, why was Tuam, then population 7,200 and 34km from the nearest Gateway a hub, while Navan then population 19,400 and 48km from the nearest Gateway not a hub). The assessment criteria should simply have been town population.

Bus competition was perceived as a negative, when in fact it demonstrated the demand for public transport on a route. This actually worked against the Athenry-Tuam section of the WRC though, although it made the figures look way better further north.

Goods · 15-09-2018, 12:00

http://www.mayonews.ie/news/32491-co...dor-campaigner
The case for reopening is solid its about taking the initiative - like Knock airport long ago

Goods · 24-10-2018, 11:18

http://www.mayonews.ie/news/32491-co...dor-campaigner

The absence of any real political backing for the reopening of the rail line to Claremorris in the west usually implies that local vested interests have knobbled the voice of the politician. The rail corridor is a national asset regardless if it competes against local transport interests. IE has signed up to 2030 UN Global cimate change goals that it cannot meet if we remain wedded to the car. Projects like WRC can contribute to the change including removing cars from commuting to Galway. Now is the time to mobilise not the day before an election.

Goods · 01-12-2018, 05:52

https://www.con-telegraph.ie/news/ro...o-claremorris/

Much talk about climate change initiatives and regenerating towns in the west there are few more concrete examples of how to create connectivity and business that to reopen this artery through the country that links to about 5 other main lines including to Sligo, Castlebar, Ballina, Galway and Limerick

Goods · 13-01-2019, 11:32

https://sligonewsfile.com/news-item/...r-bowen-walsh/

A FULLY REINSTATED WESTERN RAIL CORRIDOR FROM LIMERICK TO SLIGO WOULD OPEN UP THE FAR TOO LONG NEGLECTED WEST

"Great credit is due to the people behind West=on=Track who have tirelessly fought to have the disused Collooney Claremorris track brought back into service as a fully functioning railway, people such as sociologist Fr. Micheal MacGreil, Colman O’Raghallaigh and, in Collooney, Peter Bowen Walsh. Detractors have pointed to costs, they have pointed to the community rebuilding role the revived service could play in linking the North West to the South and the dividend it would return both as passenger service and freight transportation operation linking towns and villages dying for want of essential transport infrastructure". No political vision on this critical transport issue.

Goods · 26-02-2019, 15:25

https://connachttribune.ie/rail-corr...ther-year-110/

Sacrificing the western rail corridor permanent way for a greenway is an example of IE short term thinking. This is a piece of critical national transport infrastructure that has been kept in tact since the 1970s and vested interests want to kill off the reopening option by converting the rail bed to a greenway. This is the type of rail infrastructure that could breathe life into the west and regenerate communities like Castlerea and Tuam and even Sligo. The anti rail lobby is alive and well on this topic for own gain. Pushing the decision to a consultants report is another political opt out in doing the right think by the country.

comcor · 26-02-2019, 22:59

Surprisingly, for once I agree with you.

Once Greenways have been built, rail will never run again, even if there are significant demographic changes (imagine if a successful multi-national saw Sligo’s population swell).

The same applies to other proposed Greenway projects like Midleton-Youghal and Rosslare-Waterford.

If the line is in a state where reopening is possible (and let’s face it Rosslare-Waterford could be reopened tomorrow), a Greenway shouldn’t be considered.

I also wonder if the tourism benefits are overstated. Authorities look at the Greenways in Westport and Dungarvan with envious eyes, but the unsuccessful one from Rathkeale to Abbeyfeale goes unnoticed. The first two are in very scenic areas; the latter covers unremarkable farmland.

Anyway, most cyclists I know would prefer to see the money go into urban cycling infrastructure.

24-10-2018, 11:18	#3
Goods Regular Poster Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 117	Reopen WRC line to Claremorris http://www.mayonews.ie/news/32491-co...dor-campaigner The absence of any real political backing for the reopening of the rail line to Claremorris in the west usually implies that local vested interests have knobbled the voice of the politician. The rail corridor is a national asset regardless if it competes against local transport interests. IE has signed up to 2030 UN Global cimate change goals that it cannot meet if we remain wedded to the car. Projects like WRC can contribute to the change including removing cars from commuting to Galway. Now is the time to mobilise not the day before an election.

01-12-2018, 05:52	#4
Goods Regular Poster Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 117	Review report due on reopening of line to Tuam/Claremorris https://www.con-telegraph.ie/news/ro...o-claremorris/ Much talk about climate change initiatives and regenerating towns in the west there are few more concrete examples of how to create connectivity and business that to reopen this artery through the country that links to about 5 other main lines including to Sligo, Castlebar, Ballina, Galway and Limerick

13-01-2019, 11:32	#5
Goods Regular Poster Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 117	WESTERN RAIL CORRIDOR FROM LIMERICK TO SLIGO https://sligonewsfile.com/news-item/...r-bowen-walsh/ A FULLY REINSTATED WESTERN RAIL CORRIDOR FROM LIMERICK TO SLIGO WOULD OPEN UP THE FAR TOO LONG NEGLECTED WEST "Great credit is due to the people behind West=on=Track who have tirelessly fought to have the disused Collooney Claremorris track brought back into service as a fully functioning railway, people such as sociologist Fr. Micheal MacGreil, Colman O’Raghallaigh and, in Collooney, Peter Bowen Walsh. Detractors have pointed to costs, they have pointed to the community rebuilding role the revived service could play in linking the North West to the South and the dividend it would return both as passenger service and freight transportation operation linking towns and villages dying for want of essential transport infrastructure". No political vision on this critical transport issue.

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14-09-2018, 15:01	#1
comcor Really Regular Poster Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Cork-Dublin, Cork Commuter and occasionally DART and Dublin-Wexford Posts: 855	The problem there is that the Athenry-Tuam motorway has completely blown Tuam's score to pieces. Where it had 100 for lack of road competition, that is now a 0. It's score is now a rather mid-table 41. I was always perplexed by using scores from Gateways and Hubs from the National Spatial Strategy in this as well, seeing that the designation was rather arbitrary and more suited to help local politicians in 2002 than actually develop a strategy (I mean, why was Tuam, then population 7,200 and 34km from the nearest Gateway a hub, while Navan then population 19,400 and 48km from the nearest Gateway not a hub). The assessment criteria should simply have been town population. Bus competition was perceived as a negative, when in fact it demonstrated the demand for public transport on a route. This actually worked against the Athenry-Tuam section of the WRC though, although it made the figures look way better further north.

15-09-2018, 12:00	#2
Goods Regular Poster Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 117	http://www.mayonews.ie/news/32491-co...dor-campaigner The case for reopening is solid its about taking the initiative - like Knock airport long ago

26-02-2019, 15:25	#6
Goods Regular Poster Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 117	https://connachttribune.ie/rail-corr...ther-year-110/ Sacrificing the western rail corridor permanent way for a greenway is an example of IE short term thinking. This is a piece of critical national transport infrastructure that has been kept in tact since the 1970s and vested interests want to kill off the reopening option by converting the rail bed to a greenway. This is the type of rail infrastructure that could breathe life into the west and regenerate communities like Castlerea and Tuam and even Sligo. The anti rail lobby is alive and well on this topic for own gain. Pushing the decision to a consultants report is another political opt out in doing the right think by the country.

26-02-2019, 22:59	#7
comcor Really Regular Poster Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Cork-Dublin, Cork Commuter and occasionally DART and Dublin-Wexford Posts: 855	Surprisingly, for once I agree with you. Once Greenways have been built, rail will never run again, even if there are significant demographic changes (imagine if a successful multi-national saw Sligo’s population swell). The same applies to other proposed Greenway projects like Midleton-Youghal and Rosslare-Waterford. If the line is in a state where reopening is possible (and let’s face it Rosslare-Waterford could be reopened tomorrow), a Greenway shouldn’t be considered. I also wonder if the tourism benefits are overstated. Authorities look at the Greenways in Westport and Dungarvan with envious eyes, but the unsuccessful one from Rathkeale to Abbeyfeale goes unnoticed. The first two are in very scenic areas; the latter covers unremarkable farmland. Anyway, most cyclists I know would prefer to see the money go into urban cycling infrastructure.