Limerick Station - Reconstruction Must Be Commuter Rail Orientated.

P11 Comms

Limerick Station - Reconstruction Must Be Commuter Rail Orientated.

Date: May 6, 2004
From: Thomas Sheridan - Communication Officer, Platform11
Issued by: Platform11 Press Office

Platform11 have learned that Iarnród Éireann is to embark on a major signalling and track renovation scheme for Limerick station. Platform11 as the national rail transport lobby, welcomes this major investment in the rail transport by Iarnród Eireann in the Midwest region, following on from their brave and enlightened decision to implement the Ennis-Limerick commuter service in their 2004-2005 timetable.

However, the ultimate aim for Iarnród Éireann's proposed renovation of Limerick station is to use this opportunity as a catalyst for future commuter rail services for the city and its surrounding region:

Platform11 expects the remodelling of Limerick station to be geared towards future growth and development of new and expanded "short-hop" rail commuter services on existing rail lines in and around the city. This approach would be in line with international best practice regarding rail transport development for cities the size and population of Limerick around Europe.
Provision must be made for a future "short-hop" commuter rail service for Raheen and Adare along the Foynes line.
Implementation of a major 'Park and Ride' facility at Limerick Junction to serve east Limerick/Tipperary commuters.
New signalling and platform arrangements at Limerick station to allow for new stations and services along Ennis route serving Longpavement and Sixmilebridge.
Platform11 firmly believes that the future viability and enormous potential of our national rail network will be based upon "short-hop" intensive, commuter rail services on existing rail lines radiating from cities such as Limerick, connected together by high-frequency Inter-City services linking Ireland's urban centres.

Platform11 does not believe that hundreds of millions of tax-payers money should be wasted on rural regional routes such as the Western Rail Corridor, while the full potential of our existing rail network in cities such as Limerick still remains untapped. Spending €30 million on Limerick station and the city's commuter rail services will deliver thousands of more passengers and millions more in revenue to Iarnród Eireann than €300 million spent on rebuilding the completely derelict and obsolete Western Rail Corridor. Limerick has traffic problems, which Claremorris (the main rail hub of the WRC) with its small population and already excellent rail service does not, and may never have for another 25-40 years.

The development of rail transport in Limerick depends on the foresight the Government/IE demonstrates now, by making allowance/funding for future commuter rail passenger growth in the Midwest region. Limerick city already has the basic infrastructural requirements for a superb DART-type commuter rail system for the city, its suburbs, and surrounding towns.

Iarnród Éireann are to be congratulated for their rail transport revolution in recent years, the network is on the threshold of being world class, developing viable commuter services for Limerick and the Midwest would be a giant leap forward to the next stage, both for the city and our national rail system.

more information:

www.platform11.org/rural_rail.html
www.platform11.org/limerick_link.html

ENDS 05/06/04