CALL FOR REVIEW OF OPERATIONS ON GALWAY TO LIMERICK LINE

Date Published: 27-Jan-2012

West on track, the lobby group behind the Western rail corridor, is calling for a review of operations on the Galway to Limerick line.

The group wants the Minister of Transport Leo Varadker to examine the case for tendering the route to operators such as the RPA, the group behind the Luas.

They claim that if Iarnród Eireann were to operate the same intercity service on the Galway to Limerick line as the Dublin to Cork line, services between Galway and Limerick would take just over an hour instead of the current two.

Last November, the Government announced that the WRC was one of the major capital projects that will be deferred indefinitely.

The only part of the project which will continue is the construction of stations at Oranmore and Crusheen on the Ennis to Athenry line.

However, work has yet to begin at Crusheen as Iarnrod Eireann continues negotiations with a third party over funding contributions.

The second phase of the project from Athenry to Tuam, and the third phase to Claremorris, have all been deferred as part of the Capital Investment Programme from 2012 to 2016.