Statement from Minister Éamon Ó Cuív T.D. in relation to the Western Rail Corridor
Scríofa ag Eamon Ó Cuív Dé Céadaoin, 12 Bealtaine 2010
Níl leagan aistrithe ar fáil.I welcome very much the figures issued recently by Iarnród Éireann in relation to the use of the Western Rail Corridor. This justifies the decision by the Government to proceed with the Western Rail corridor.
The figures being achieved are already double those which were projected when the project was approved. I am now urging Iarnród Éireann to further develop the service between Galway and Limerick. Initially, Iarnród Éireann had planned seven services a day and I would now encourage them to implement this without delay. There is a need for an extra commuter service into Galway in the morning and another leaving Galway after 6 p.m. in the evening. I have no doubt that if these extra commuter services are provided that the number of people using the service will grow dramatically.
Furthermore, there is a need to reduce the journey time between Galway and Limerick and I understand that this is feasible without much difficulty.
Iarnród Éireann should also look at the possibility of opening extra stations along the line and in particular to opening a station servicing the industrial estates and GMIT near Ballyloughane or Murrough, as well as a station servicing Limerick IT, Moyross and Thomond Park in Limerick and also a station servicing the University of Limerick and the adjacent industrial estates on the south side of the Shannon river.
I look forward also to progress being made in relation to the provision of a station for Oranmore and for Crusheen.
There is also a need to inform commuters in the Galway region of the wide range of commuter services now available both between Galway and Athlone and Galway and Limerick and the tax discounts available to commuters who buy their tickets through their employers. Employers in the Galway area should be encouraged to avail of these schemes and to inform their staff of them. I would urge Iarnród Éireann to work closely with the Galway Chamber of Commerce in this regard.
Obviously, based on the enormous success of the reopening of the Galway Limerick line, the case for reopening the Galway/Tuam/ Claremorris service is strengthened. Based on work done by the Western Development Commission that showed that there were more commuters coming to Galway from north of Galway City than from either the east or the south, there is now a case for revising projections in relation to likely passenger usage of Claremorris/Ballindine/Milltown/Tuam/Oranmore to Galway service.
The development of this line will give Galway critical mass of commuter railway services to the south, east and north which will encourage commuters to use the service.
Éamon Ó Cuív TD
12th May 2010
