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Western Rail Corridor (all disused sections)

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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,282 ✭✭✭westtip


    Slowly but surely the message will get through by Western Economic Corridor they mean a motorway running from Cork to Letterkenny...

    http://galwaybayfm.ie/taoiseach-confirms-cork-galway-motorway-plan/


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,363 ✭✭✭✭Del.Monte


    westtip wrote: »
    Slowly but surely the message will get through by Western Economic Corridor they mean a motorway running from Cork to Letterkenny...

    http://galwaybayfm.ie/taoiseach-confirms-cork-galway-motorway-plan/

    Why stop there - surely extensions to Burtonport and Carndonagh should be included.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,282 ✭✭✭westtip


    Del.Monte wrote: »
    Why stop there - surely extensions to Burtonport and Carndonagh should be included.

    but surely you want the branchline to Burtonport re-opened so Thomas can have a branch line all to himself?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,610 ✭✭✭eastwest


    Cue the howls from the sunday strollers and bicyclists if 'their' path is taken off them. Ringing up TDs etc.

    The despised tourists, non car using walkers and nasty families on bikes wouldn't have 'their path taken off them'. Any railway project would have to include the construction of a greenway, not least to generate economic activity to subsidise the trainspotters' fantasy vanity project.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,195 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    westtip wrote: »
    Slowly but surely the message will get through by Western Economic Corridor they mean a motorway running from Cork to Letterkenny...

    http://galwaybayfm.ie/taoiseach-confirms-cork-galway-motorway-plan/


    no . they mean nothing of the sort. a motorway to letterkenny is not a priority.
    eastwest wrote: »
    The despised tourists, non car using walkers and nasty families on bikes wouldn't have 'their path taken off them'. Any railway project would have to include the construction of a greenway, not least to generate economic activity to subsidise the trainspotters' fantasy vanity project.


    that would put extra expence on to the railway project.

    I'm very highly educated. I know words, i have the best words, nobody has better words then me.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,530 ✭✭✭✭whisky_galore


    eastwest wrote: »
    That question pretty much answers the argument.
    The question of the viability of the wrc has been well established already. 44 euro per passenger journey is the figure I believe, if you ignore capital costs.
    Hardly a business case!

    In the future, not now, obvs....


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,282 ✭✭✭westtip


    no . they mean nothing of the sort. a motorway to letterkenny is not a priority.
    .

    You are probably right, nor is a railway to Sligo from Athenry, but we all know that. Re the motorway to Letterkenny, in truth a good wide road the standard of the Bundoran bypass would suffice from Sligo north, I think the NRA have stopped building the single carriage with hard shoulder type trunk road, so I guess DC similar to the N4 Roosky bypass.

    It would be hard to justify in terms of traffic numbers, and is not a national priority but it would be the final jigsaw in the national road network to have a decent quality seamless DC from Cork to Letterkenny.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 652 ✭✭✭Muckyboots


    In the future, not now, obvs....

    Ah...the future. Forgot about that.
    Ironic though that often the most vitriolic opposition to Greenways comes from rail nostalgics. Not referring to anyone currently on this thread, of course. The spotters tend to blow themselves out quite quickly.


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 14,088 Mod ✭✭✭✭monument


    Probably because you and westtip inexhaustibly stick to this thread. That isn't a criticism, but most other people have other things to do than to argue the toss here.

    You're well aware of the rules of boards.ie and the C&T charter. Play the ball and not the man, and the topic isn't about posters or what things you or other do.

    If you don't want to get involved with the thread (or "argue the toss here"), then don't post. It's that simple.

    -- moderator


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,610 ✭✭✭eastwest


    no . they mean nothing of the sort. a motorway to letterkenny is not a priority.




    that would put extra expence on to the railway project.
    Very little in the context of a major engineering project, and much of it would just consist of tidying up the access tracks for the rail job plus a few lightweight bridges. Any cost would be more than offset by the savings in not having to buy back sections of land from squatters.


  • Registered Users Posts: 28 lockyjpl


    westtip wrote: »
    Can they fall any lower?......It may depend on what the xpress bus routes do if they decide to use the motorway and then the bus lanes into city centre they may well take time off the journey time which my guess is will hit the through traffic on Limerick - Galway railway route. But of course if west on track are to be believed (not something that is advisable) it is standing room only on the trains!
    Out of curiosity, have you taken the train to or from Galway during commuter hours?
    I use the Ennis - Galway train each morning boarding @ Athenry. From a daily commuters viewpoint, I can guarantee that it is 'standing room only' from Athenry to Galway. It is also just as busy on any of the trains to Athenry in the afternoon from 16:30 onwards. This has increased hugely in the last year or so imo.
    I cannot see these numbers reducing in the near future either as many of the passengers are Secondary School children from South Galway disembarking at Athenry in the morning for school in Athenry & kids boarding in Athenry for school in Galway.
    Would there be the same uptake if the Athenry to Tuam line re-opened, IMO, I doubt it very much.
    The trains work for myself & many other commuters in & around the Athenry / South Galway area, so If the discussion is for or against the rail line North of Athenry, that is fair enough, but people need to stop using the line south of Athenry as an example of a ghost train when, in my experience, during the times I utilise it, it definitely is not.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,997 ✭✭✭gally74


    lockyjpl wrote: »
    Out of curiosity, have you taken the train to or from Galway during commuter hours?
    I use the Ennis - Galway train each morning boarding @ Athenry. From a daily commuters viewpoint, I can guarantee that it is 'standing room only' from Athenry to Galway. It is also just as busy on any of the trains to Athenry in the afternoon from 16:30 onwards. This has increased hugely in the last year or so imo.
    I cannot see these numbers reducing in the near future either as many of the passengers are Secondary School children from South Galway disembarking at Athenry in the morning for school in Athenry & kids boarding in Athenry for school in Galway.
    Would there be the same uptake if the Athenry to Tuam line re-opened, IMO, I doubt it very much.
    The trains work for myself & many other commuters in & around the Athenry / South Galway area, so If the discussion is for or against the rail line North of Athenry, that is fair enough, but people need to stop using the line south of Athenry as an example of a ghost train when, in my experience, during the times I utilise it, it definitely is not.

    Light rail for galway prob makes more sense. With 10 years autonomous cars will be whizzing us all around, 80% less cars on the road, trains will be well gone by then


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,363 ✭✭✭✭Del.Monte


    gally74 wrote: »
    Light rail for galway prob makes more sense. With 10 years autonomous cars will be whizzing us all around, 80% less cars on the road, trains will be well gone by then

    Surely you're having a laugh or you've been watching too much sci-fi?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,195 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    Del.Monte wrote: »
    Surely you're having a laugh or you've been watching too much sci-fi?

    it's the modern day version of the "shur we have busses now we don't need the railway" nonsense of the late 1950s and beyond.

    I'm very highly educated. I know words, i have the best words, nobody has better words then me.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,610 ✭✭✭eastwest


    lockyjpl wrote: »
    Out of curiosity, have you taken the train to or from Galway during commuter hours?
    I use the Ennis - Galway train each morning boarding @ Athenry. From a daily commuters viewpoint, I can guarantee that it is 'standing room only' from Athenry to Galway. It is also just as busy on any of the trains to Athenry in the afternoon from 16:30 onwards. This has increased hugely in the last year or so imo.
    I cannot see these numbers reducing in the near future either as many of the passengers are Secondary School children from South Galway disembarking at Athenry in the morning for school in Athenry & kids boarding in Athenry for school in Galway.
    Would there be the same uptake if the Athenry to Tuam line re-opened, IMO, I doubt it very much.
    The trains work for myself & many other commuters in & around the Athenry / South Galway area, so If the discussion is for or against the rail line North of Athenry, that is fair enough, but people need to stop using the line south of Athenry as an example of a ghost train when, in my experience, during the times I utilise it, it definitely is not.

    The line from Athenry to Galway was there before hundreds of million euros were spent on building a line from ennis to athenry.. That existing line from athenry to Garway is busy now at commuting times, as is ennis Limerick.
    The problem isn't with commuter lines, it's with lashing money around to build and subsidise medium distance routes in the belief that everybody will.use them. In the case of the investment in ennis athenry, clearly this is not the case. In fact the report sitting on the minister's desk recommends that it should be closed because of lack of use, if the leaks are to be believed.
    In that context, any pragmatist will accept that no government is going to support a proposal to extend the wrc.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,282 ✭✭✭westtip


    lockyjpl wrote: »
    Would there be the same uptake if the Athenry to Tuam line re-opened, IMO, I doubt it very much.
    .

    west on track rarely mention commuters these days, apparently they want the line from Athenry to Claremorris for heavy industrial freight, a demand that does not exist. Even a report by the pro Western Rail Corridor quango the Western Development Commission couldn't conjure up an argument for freight on this route in a report they published a couple of years ago, they tried to conjure up a scenario in which the freight from the west would multiply at some ludicrous forecast figures. The report was seen for what it was, The Western Development Commission which is full of West on Track supporters at executive level trying to create an argument for SF/WOT for the Western Rail Corridor when it no longer exists.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,282 ✭✭✭westtip


    Press Release Emergency Weather notice: From West Eats Brack

    The Western Rail Corridor from Athenry to Collooney will be closed today owing to adverse weather conditions.

    All three potential passengers who were planning to use the line in fifty years time have been notified.

    The line is likely to remain closed indefinitely, due to Brussels refusing to recognise this is an important international piece of European infrastructure however freight trains may be running to the 1970s timetable sometime in the next century, but no sooner, but the idea may get written into a plan.

    In the meantime farmers are asked not to adversely possess the line and cyclists are asked to dismount.

    A spokesperson for the "West eats Brack" campaign said this storm is a sad day for the campaign, we had high hopes the line would be fully operational today, allowing many people to eat brack and drink flask tea on the line travelling on their Travel Passes. West on Brack will continue to fight this storm and the right to eat brack between Tuam and Claremorris having a right good day out even though as we have so often said there is absolutely no scenery to be seen on this route. The only good thing about this storm continued the spokesperson is that all those cycling campaigners will be blown off their bikes. We have high hopes that Leo will make an announcement when he addresses the nation, we know he likes brack, the spokesperson concluded.


    For Further Information please follow this thread.

    :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,610 ✭✭✭eastwest


    westtip wrote: »
    Press Release Emergency Weather notice: From West Eats Brack

    The Western Rail Corridor from Athenry to Collooney will be closed today owing to adverse weather conditions.

    All three potential passengers who were planning to use the line in fifty years time have been notified.

    The line is likely to remain closed indefinitely, due to Brussels refusing to recognise this is an important international piece of European infrastructure  however freight trains may be running to the 1970s timetable sometime in the next century, but no sooner, but the idea may get written into a plan.

    In the meantime farmers are asked not to adversely possess the line and cyclists are asked to dismount.

    A spokesperson for the "West eats Brack" campaign said this storm is a sad day for the campaign, we had high hopes the line would be fully operational today, allowing many people to eat brack and drink flask tea on the line travelling on their Travel Passes.  West on Brack will continue to fight this storm and the right to eat brack between Tuam and Claremorris having a right good day out even though as we have so often said there is absolutely no scenery to be seen on this route.  The only good thing about this storm continued the spokesperson is that all those cycling campaigners will be blown off their bikes. We have high hopes that Leo will make an announcement when he addresses the nation, we know he likes brack, the spokesperson concluded.


    For Further Information please follow this thread.

    :D

    Don't make unnecessary journeys.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,610 ✭✭✭eastwest


    westtip wrote: »
    Press Release Emergency Weather notice: From West Eats Brack

    The Western Rail Corridor from Athenry to Collooney will be closed today owing to adverse weather conditions.

    All three potential passengers who were planning to use the line in fifty years time have been notified.

    The line is likely to remain closed indefinitely, due to Brussels refusing to recognise this is an important international piece of European infrastructure however freight trains may be running to the 1970s timetable sometime in the next century, but no sooner, but the idea may get written into a plan.

    In the meantime farmers are asked not to adversely possess the line and cyclists are asked to dismount.

    A spokesperson for the "West eats Brack" campaign said this storm is a sad day for the campaign, we had high hopes the line would be fully operational today, allowing many people to eat brack and drink flask tea on the line travelling on their Travel Passes. West on Brack will continue to fight this storm and the right to eat brack between Tuam and Claremorris having a right good day out even though as we have so often said there is absolutely no scenery to be seen on this route. The only good thing about this storm continued the spokesperson is that all those cycling campaigners will be blown off their bikes. We have high hopes that Leo will make an announcement when he addresses the nation, we know he likes brack, the spokesperson concluded.


    For Further Information please follow this thread.

    :D

    Don't make unnecessary journeys.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,997 ✭✭✭gally74


    Del.Monte wrote: »
    Surely you're having a laugh or you've been watching too much sci-fi?

    Far from sci fi, thought technology disruption catches most folks .....

    TONY Seba from Stanford, one of the top university's in the world,

    https://youtu.be/4hoB7HN4B0k


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,997 ✭✭✭gally74




  • Registered Users Posts: 1,610 ✭✭✭eastwest


    Del.Monte wrote: »
    Surely you're having a laugh or you've been watching too much sci-fi?

    Them horseless carriages will never catch on.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,363 ✭✭✭✭Del.Monte


    Well, I think that there's far more chance of the rebuilding of the Sligo, Leitrim and its extension to Letterkenny than self driving road trains careering along the highways and byways of Ireland.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,610 ✭✭✭eastwest


    Del.Monte wrote: »
    Well, I think that there's far more chance of the rebuilding of the Sligo, Leitrim and its extension to Letterkenny than self driving road trains careering along the highways and byways of Ireland.
    I think that there's far more chance of the so-called 'Western rail corridor' becoming the 'Western rail trail' than a train chugging to Collooney, surrounded by flying pigs.


  • Registered Users Posts: 28 lockyjpl


    eastwest wrote: »
    The line from Athenry to Galway was there before hundreds of million euros were spent on building a line from ennis to athenry.. That existing line from athenry to Garway is busy now at commuting times, as is ennis Limerick.
    The problem isn't with commuter lines, it's with lashing money around to build and subsidise medium distance routes in the belief that everybody will.use them. In the case of the investment in ennis athenry, clearly this is not the case. In fact the report sitting on the minister's desk recommends that it should be closed because of lack of use, if the leaks are to be believed.
    In that context, any pragmatist will accept that no government is going to support a proposal to extend the wrc.
    Simply read my post again.
    I clearly stated why I believe extending the WRC beyond Athenry would not work. As I pointed out, I use the Ennis to Galway train boarding at Athenry! No need for a history lesson on what lines were originally in use prior to the re-opening of the Ennis line.
    Check the train times in the morning & evening for each train, i.e. Athlone-Galway & Ennis-Galway. Prior to the re-opening, when there was only Athlone-Galway, the time suited no person for commuting to work. The earlier train (Ennis line) now, clearly does suit commuters & students, etc. The evening trains from 16:30 onwards also, clearly because the times are more frequent to suit when people finish work etc. As opposed to a train every 2 hours for example.
    Now, Obviously Irish Rail could change the times to suit commuters on the Dublin line, but if they ever had an interest in this, why did it take the opening of a controversial line to show this.
    Again, as I previously mentioned, as far as the WRC campaign is concerned, I couldn't care less. I am probably would consider myself more an advocate for a greenway North of Athenry tbh.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,282 ✭✭✭westtip


    lockyjpl wrote: »
    Simply read my post again.
    I clearly stated why I believe extending the WRC beyond Athenry would not work. As I pointed out, I use the Ennis to Galway train boarding at Athenry! No need for a history lesson on what lines were originally in use prior to the re-opening of the Ennis line.
    Check the train times in the morning & evening for each train, i.e. Athlone-Galway & Ennis-Galway. Prior to the re-opening, when there was only Athlone-Galway, the time suited no person for commuting to work. The earlier train (Ennis line) now, clearly does suit commuters & students, etc. The evening trains from 16:30 onwards also, clearly because the times are more frequent to suit when people finish work etc. As opposed to a train every 2 hours for example.
    Now, Obviously Irish Rail could change the times to suit commuters on the Dublin line, but if they ever had an interest in this, why did it take the opening of a controversial line to show this.
    Again, as I previously mentioned, as far as the WRC campaign is concerned, I couldn't care less. I am probably would consider myself more an advocate for a greenway North of Athenry tbh.

    You have made some fair points about Galway Athenry which used to be just trains on the Dublin route getting more trains as the short route from Athenry to Galway gets the benefit of the WRC trains. But think what 105 million invested in the Athenry Ennis section could have done, maybe double tracking Athlone Galway - to allow a fast track for express trains going Dublin Athlone Galway and an inter-urban intermediate commuting line on the second line allowing almost a shuttle train going Athlone, Ballinasloe, Woodlawn, Attymon, Athenry, oranmore, Galway. This is what would have benefited the west. This is what is so frustrating. The Western Rail Corridor is such bad transport planning and West on Track effectively high jacked transport planning thinking for the west, this whole greenway thinking has challenged them, that is what has happened like it or not, and West on Track don't like it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,610 ✭✭✭eastwest


    lockyjpl wrote: »
    Simply read my post again.
    I clearly stated why I believe extending the WRC beyond Athenry would not work. As I pointed out, I use the Ennis to Galway train boarding at Athenry! No need for a history lesson on what lines were originally in use prior to the re-opening of the Ennis line.
    Check the train times in the morning & evening for each train, i.e. Athlone-Galway & Ennis-Galway. Prior to the re-opening, when there was only Athlone-Galway, the time suited no person for commuting to work. The earlier train (Ennis line) now, clearly does suit commuters & students, etc. The evening trains from 16:30 onwards also, clearly because the times are more frequent to suit when people finish work etc. As opposed to a train every 2 hours for example.
    Now, Obviously Irish Rail could change the times to suit commuters on the Dublin line, but if they ever had an interest in this, why did it take the opening of a controversial line to show this.
    Again, as I previously mentioned, as far as the WRC campaign is concerned, I couldn't care less. I am probably would consider myself more an advocate for a greenway North of Athenry tbh.

    Apologies for the lack of clarity in my response; I was attempting to clarify that the new line hadn't made any significant difference to the potential passenger numbers, since most of the traffic is being carried on the existing lines.
    I accept your point that it took attempts to make the new line justify itself to jar Irish Rail into getting their act together. However, and I think we agree on this, the passenger numbers currently being achieved on Athenry-Galway and on Ennis-Limerick could have been achieved by running services on these routes to suit demand, without joining them up with an expensive and little-used link, simply because it looked good on a map. As taxpayers who support both the capital costs and the ongoing heavy subsidy on the 'middle bit', we should be concerned at the spending of our money on unnecessary lines like Ennis-Athenry that include what is effectively planned failure.
    The fact that any politician continues to promise more of the same, when he knows that it is abject nonsense, is also a cause for concern, but communities get the representatives they elect, and this is the payback for electing some whose interests and loyalties lie elsewhere.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,219 ✭✭✭✭Grandeeod


    I come back to this thread armed.:D I decided many many months ago to actually have a hands on experience of Irish Greenways. Its been a long walk and cycle due to the constraints put on me by work and life.

    I started in April up in Mayo on the Great Western. By May I was down south on the Great Southern Rail trail. In July I had a drive along the route of the Collooney-Claremorris WRC section. Due to personal issues, I only got to take in my last experience along the Deise Greenway a few weeks ago. I didn't cycle or walk the entire length of any Greenway, but I did experience what's on offer from that perspective in short bursts. My main goal was to see how these Greenways have affected the area surrounding them and compare them to any potential Greenway along the WRC.

    In relation to the WRC Greenway issue, I must admit I was completely uninterested in both an operating railway, which is fantasy stuff or a Greenway due to it becoming a hot potato issue embroiled in politics. However, having seen other Greenways from both a bike, walk and car and witnessed how they have completely transformed villages and towns along their route, I can personally state that the proposal for a WRC Greenway would be a winner.

    I had a drive from Collooney to Claremorris in July following the line. So many towns and villages along the rail route that could really benefit from scenes I saw on aforementioned Greenways. Its not about scenery. Its about safe cycling and walking facilities that attracts locals and tourists and it does attract them. During my little voyage, I had the opportunity to visit a little known and early Greenway of sorts. A rather simple affair. Its the railway walk along the original Ardee railway branch in Louth. Incredibly this was developed long before Greenways were fashionable and is now the focus of more development in relation to seating and picnic areas.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,019 ✭✭✭TCDStudent1


    Grandeeod wrote: »
    I come back to this thread armed.:D I decided many many months ago to actually have a hands on experience of Irish Greenways. Its been a long walk and cycle due to the constraints put on me by work and life.

    I started in April up in Mayo on the Great Western. By May I was down south on the Great Southern Rail trail. In July I had a drive along the route of the Collooney-Claremorris WRC section. Due to personal issues, I only got to take in my last experience along the Deise Greenway a few weeks ago. I didn't cycle or walk the entire length of any Greenway, but I did experience what's on offer from that perspective in short bursts. My main goal was to see how these Greenways have affected the area surrounding them and compare them to any potential Greenway along the WRC.

    In relation to the WRC Greenway issue, I must admit I was completely uninterested in both an operating railway, which is fantasy stuff or a Greenway due to it becoming a hot potato issue embroiled in politics. However, having seen other Greenways from both a bike, walk and car and witnessed how they have completely transformed villages and towns along their route, I can personally state that the proposal for a WRC Greenway would be a winner.

    I had a drive from Collooney to Claremorris in July following the line. So many towns and villages along the rail route that could really benefit from scenes I saw on aforementioned Greenways. Its not about scenery. Its about safe cycling and walking facilities that attracts locals and tourists and it does attract them. During my little voyage, I had the opportunity to visit a little known and early Greenway of sorts. A rather simple affair. Its the railway walk along the original Ardee railway branch in Louth. Incredibly this was developed long before Greenways were fashionable and is now the focus of more development in relation to seating and picnic areas.

    In what way have they been transformed? I would like to do what you did and go and check them out some time to see it myself. I find it hard to see a greenway bringing significant economic benefit to North Galway (but I am no expert and am curious about what enterprises a greenway on the WRC between Athenry & Milltown would encourage). However, I can see the greenway having benefits in improving people's health and well being by encouraging them to be more active. Personally, I would definitely use it for running and cycling - there isn't a hope in hell that I would run or cycle between Tuam / Athenry at the moment on that road. And I would be fairly confident it would encourage many to go for more walks etc. There is nowhere in Tuam (except a small park) where you can do that. However, I can't see myself actually spending any money on it. I guess the economic benefits would purely be from attracting more tourists?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,610 ✭✭✭eastwest


    In what way have they been transformed? I would like to do what you did and go and check them out some time to see it myself. I find it hard to see a greenway bringing significant economic benefit to North Galway (but I am no expert and am curious about what enterprises a greenway on the WRC between Athenry & Milltown would encourage). However, I can see the greenway having benefits in improving people's health and well being by encouraging them to be more active. Personally, I would definitely use it for running and cycling - there isn't a hope in hell that I would run or cycle between Tuam / Athenry at the moment on that road. And I would be fairly confident it would encourage many to go for more walks etc. There is nowhere in Tuam (except a small park) where you can do that. However, I can't see myself actually spending any money on it. I guess the economic benefits would purely be from attracting more tourists?

    It's not just more tourists; greenways create micro economies, locals walk or cycle to the next town or village, spend a few bob on lunch or snacks and return home. Restaurants and cafes spring up, just look at dungarvan.
    If you want to see a town that was absolutely brought back from the brink by a greenway, look at kilmacthomas and how it has flourished since last March.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 3,019 ✭✭✭TCDStudent1


    eastwest wrote: »
    It's not just more tourists; greenways create micro economies, locals walk or cycle to the next town or village, spend a few bob on lunch or snacks and return home. Restaurants and cafes spring up, just look at dungarvan.
    If you want to see a town that was absolutely brought back from the brink by a greenway, look at kilmacthomas and how it has flourished since last March.


    Cool, I'll check out that place


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,219 ✭✭✭✭Grandeeod


    In what way have they been transformed? I would like to do what you did and go and check them out some time to see it myself. I find it hard to see a greenway bringing significant economic benefit to North Galway (but I am no expert and am curious about what enterprises a greenway on the WRC between Athenry & Milltown would encourage). However, I can see the greenway having benefits in improving people's health and well being by encouraging them to be more active. Personally, I would definitely use it for running and cycling - there isn't a hope in hell that I would run or cycle between Tuam / Athenry at the moment on that road. And I would be fairly confident it would encourage many to go for more walks etc. There is nowhere in Tuam (except a small park) where you can do that. However, I can't see myself actually spending any money on it. I guess the economic benefits would purely be from attracting more tourists?

    East West has probably covered most of this in his reply. I would second the point about Kilmacthomas on the Waterford Greenway and add that apart from the bike rental activity, small local businesses supplying accomodation and refreshments are springing up along it. On the WRC, you have places like Coolaney, Swinford, Kiltimagh, Ballindine and Ballyglunin that can benefit from providing ancillary services. Ballyglunin has the obvious movie connection with The Quiet Man. When you add access points and car parks, the potential for the micro economy aspects explodes. Have a visit to the other Greenways and see for yourself. The lack of scenery thing is a complete red herring. This is about safe walking and cycling for locals and tourist. You will get far more on a WRC Greenway than on any train along it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,282 ✭✭✭westtip


    Grandeeod wrote: »
    East West has probably covered most of this in his reply. I would second the point about Kilmacthomas on the Waterford Greenway and add that apart from the bike rental activity, small local businesses supplying accomodation and refreshments are springing up along it. On the WRC, you have places like Coolaney, Swinford, Kiltimagh, Ballindine and Ballyglunin that can benefit from providing ancillary services. Ballyglunin has the obvious movie connection with The Quiet Man. When you add access points and car parks, the potential for the micro economy aspects explodes. Have a visit to the other Greenways and see for yourself. The lack of scenery thing is a complete red herring. This is about safe walking and cycling for locals and tourist. You will get far more on a WRC Greenway than on any train along it.

    GD great posts, I have been saying it for years as have many others. The problem we have as you say is the politics and the poison that exists in the local politics of the west of ireland directed at anyone who challenges the accepted thinking of WOT You have some idea of the vehement opposition from a small clique that will not allow this idea to flourish. It is a pity, I think weakness on the part of certain politicians is to blame,the fight will go on.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 652 ✭✭✭Muckyboots


    "Canney OK with Greenway study if Western Rail Corridor not in new ten-year plan" Tuam Herald 15/11/17.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 643 ✭✭✭Corca Baiscinn


    Muckyboots wrote: »
    "Canney OK with Greenway study if Western Rail Corridor not in new ten-year plan" Tuam Herald 15/11/17.

    Ok so the light dawns but what if the 10 year plan isn't published until 2025 or something?


  • Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,463 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    Ok so the light dawns but what if the 10 year plan isn't published until 2025 or something?
    10 year plan is being published this month.

    Canney has obviously seen the outcome of the rail review, realised he's very badly backed the wrong horse and realised at last how much support there is for the greenway as opposed to the Claremorris Freight Hub, and is now coming back with his willy between his legs.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,610 ✭✭✭eastwest


    Isambard wrote: »
    is it just me or does the advent of the Velorail block the use of the route by trains whilst at the same time , due to it's small size, not preclude a parallel Greenway? It's a bit of an own goal is it not?

    Yes, west on track appear to have backed the velorail project in order to block greenway development on the line and make it look as though the track is being rebuilt, which of course it isn't -- the patching being done at present isn't designed to carry trains. They seem to have overlooked the fact that a lease by a velorail operator effectively blocks any hope of trains running on the line. In truth though, they have long ago given up on seeing trains north of Claremorris, and are now concentrating on trying to persuade government to build a freight line from Claremorris to Athenry.
    They have, as they say, two chances of that.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,610 ✭✭✭eastwest


    Muckyboots wrote: »
    "Canney OK with Greenway study if Western Rail Corridor not in new ten-year plan" Tuam Herald 15/11/17.

    Interesting piece in the Herald this week all right, a complete U-turn by Canney and an admission that the review of the WRC that was promised to him in return for his support for government is not a runner any more. In hindsight, it seems that the 'Canney review' promise was torn up and he was pacified with a 'Jobshare-Junior' Ministry instead.
    So now he concedes that the rail review will do the same job as the promised report, and that he will support his constituents if that review finds against the WRC, which it emphatically did at draft stage before politicians tried to change bits of it, if the leaks are to be believed. It seems as though his lobbying in Leinster House to have a sentence or two not ruling out a railway 'in the future' have fallen on deaf ears, but look out for another WOT rabbit who has just popped out of a hole. Sean Kyne has now taken up the mantle of a train to every door in the west to make up for the fact that they have the DART up in Dublin, and is likely to slip something similar into the Atlantic Economic Corridor gravy train he is currently driving. If WOT get a straw like that, they will clutch at it and it will be a case of 'here we go again'.
    Canney is a clever politician though, not lacking in an ability to strategise, and he can smell the way the wind is blowing in Tuam. As Gandhi would put it, 'there goes my people. I must follow them, for I am their leader.'


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 652 ✭✭✭Muckyboots


    eastwest wrote: »
    Yes, west on track appear to have backed the velorail project in order to block greenway development on the line and make it look as though the track is being rebuilt, which of course it isn't -- the patching being done at present isn't designed to carry trains. They seem to have overlooked the fact that a lease by a velorail operator effectively blocks any hope of trains running on the line. In truth though, they have long ago given up on seeing trains north of Claremorris, and are now concentrating on trying to persuade government to build a freight line from Claremorris to Athenry.
    They have, as they say, two chances of that.

    Decent numbers of local and visiting walkers hiking alongside the velocycles from the day one would trodden a path into the ground pretty quickly. Fancy a bit of that action myself.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 652 ✭✭✭Muckyboots


    eastwest wrote: »
    Sean Kyne has now taken up the mantle of a train to every door in the west to make up for the fact that they have the DART up in Dublin, and is likely to slip something similar into the Atlantic Economic Corridor gravy train he is currently driving. If WOT get a straw like that, they will clutch at it and it will be a case of 'here we go again'.

    Sean Kyne should have far more ambition for the AEC then the reinstatement of a useless rail corridor from another century.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 652 ✭✭✭Muckyboots


    Also reported in the Tuam Herald is that funding for Ballyglunin Bridge, after a €100k spend on design, has gone out to Europe for Ten-T consideration. - You think I'm making this up !!!


  • Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,463 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    Muckyboots wrote: »
    Also reported in the Tuam Herald is that funding for Ballyglunin Bridge, after a €100k spend on design, has gone out to Europe for Ten-T consideration. - You think I'm making this up !!!

    Will be used for justifying the TEN-T group's operational expenses for their shredder


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,363 ✭✭✭✭Del.Monte


    Why do certain posters persist in referring to the proposed reinstatement of Athenry/Claremorris as a freight line when clearly it will be both. The Belmond Hibernian will surely traverse to line to reach Westport. The Railway Records (sic) Society will also want to use it at least once.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 652 ✭✭✭Muckyboots


    Del.Monte wrote: »
    Why do certain posters persist in referring to the proposed reinstatement of Athenry/Claremorris as a freight line when clearly it will be both. The Belmond Hibernian will surely traverse to line to reach Westport. The Railway Records (sic) Society will also want to use it at least once.

    The passengers of Belmond Hibernian could hang up their blazers and break a sweat on the velocycles between Claremorris and Charlestown. Keep everyone happy. Hire bikes in Curry and finish their journey in Sligo instead. Spend a few quid locally too.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,610 ✭✭✭eastwest


    Del.Monte wrote: »
    Why do certain posters persist in referring to the proposed reinstatement of Athenry/Claremorris as a freight line when clearly it will be both. The Belmond Hibernian will surely traverse to line to reach Westport. The Railway Records (sic) Society will also want to use it at least once.
    That's the stance taken by WOT in recent years. John O'Mahony even put a price on the cheaper option of a freight only line, as I recall he suggested a mere 60 million (I'm open to correction on that figure, it might have been 30 million) to build a line designed for lower running speeds than might apply to passenger travel. As I also recall, the lack of stations was also to be a cost saving advantage if the focus was to be only on freight.
    Unfortunately for this 'railway by stealth' approach, the commissioning of a report by WOT supporters within the WDC couldn't come up with a case for a second railway to carry the one freught train a day that comes out of Mayo.
    However there is now a golden opportunity for WOT to find funding for their hobby horse. Why don't they suggest that the pension reform proposals, being sought by women who were discriminated against in the previous changes, be deferred for a decade or so to pay for their little project? I'm sure that if Kyne and Canney suggested this in the Dail, they would get great support from the women of the west.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 652 ✭✭✭Muckyboots


    http://connachttribune.ie/rail-links-airports-key-wests-future-2/ Simple as that !-
    "Making Shannon and Knock airports accessible by train by reopening the Western Rail Corridor, and reclassifying Galway Harbour, are two objectives that should be included in the Ireland 2040 Plan, according to a Government minister. Seán Kyne, Minister of State at the Department or Rural and Community Development, made the suggestions in a submission on the draft national planning framework. He did so in his capacity as a TD for Galway West, he said, and his recommendations strive to achieve more connectivity in the West and regional balance in the plan. Minister Kyne said the Western Rail Corridor “and its continued development must be included as a key point of ‘Accessibility to the North West’ in Ireland 2040 Plan.” “The Western Rail Corridor, as it stands now, could, with minor investment, create the first rail-connected airport in the country: Shannon Airport. Similarly, a re-opened railway north of Athenry to Sligo could also improve the connectivity of Ireland West Knock Airport,” said Minister Kyne."


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,795 ✭✭✭Isambard


    it's ridiculous to suggest linking Shannon or Knock to the rail network. a train each way every couple of hours is not going to be of much use to many travellers and where does he think those travellers are going to travel to or from? The best case to answer that would be Limerick to Shannon and how many people per day actually make that journey by any means? It must be a very small number indeed.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,610 ✭✭✭eastwest


    Muckyboots wrote: »
    http://connachttribune.ie/rail-links-airports-key-wests-future-2/ Simple as that !-
    "Making Shannon and Knock airports accessible by train by reopening the Western Rail Corridor, and reclassifying Galway Harbour, are two objectives that should be included in the Ireland 2040 Plan, according to a Government minister. Seán Kyne, Minister of State at the Department or Rural and Community Development, made the suggestions in a submission on the draft national planning framework. He did so in his capacity as a TD for Galway West, he said, and his recommendations strive to achieve more connectivity in the West and regional balance in the plan. Minister Kyne said the Western Rail Corridor “and its continued development must be included as a key point of ‘Accessibility to the North West’ in Ireland 2040 Plan.” “The Western Rail Corridor, as it stands now, could, with minor investment, create the first rail-connected airport in the country: Shannon Airport. Similarly, a re-opened railway north of Athenry to Sligo could also improve the connectivity of Ireland West Knock Airport,” said Minister Kyne."
    Thankfully, this idiot isn't in charge of our transport network!
    And we thought Ross was bad!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,282 ✭✭✭westtip


    Muckyboots wrote: »
    http://connachttribune.ie/rail-links-airports-key-wests-future-2/ Simple as that !-
    "Making Shannon and Knock airports accessible by train by reopening the Western Rail Corridor, and reclassifying Galway Harbour, are two objectives that should be included in the Ireland 2040 Plan, according to a Government minister. Seán Kyne, Minister of State at the Department or Rural and Community Development, made the suggestions in a submission on the draft national planning framework. He did so in his capacity as a TD for Galway West, he said, and his recommendations strive to achieve more connectivity in the West and regional balance in the plan. Minister Kyne said the Western Rail Corridor “and its continued development must be included as a key point of ‘Accessibility to the North West’ in Ireland 2040 Plan.” “The Western Rail Corridor, as it stands now, could, with minor investment, create the first rail-connected airport in the country: Shannon Airport. Similarly, a re-opened railway north of Athenry to Sligo could also improve the connectivity of Ireland West Knock Airport,” said Minister Kyne."

    Ah yes the Shannon/Knock Rail link, handy if your car is parked at Knock and your flight gets diverted to Shannon, with a train every fifteen minutes you will be able to get back to your car quick enough. The thing is this though, I doubt he will be listened to. It would appear that despite all this Custer last stand stuff, the goose is well and truly cooked, why do I say this. Well guess what folks, the Western Inter county railway board, and the Western Development Commission as notified parties both made submissions on the first tranche of submissions for the first draft of the Ireland 2040 plan. An FF member for May Lisa Chambers also made a submission asking for the Western Rail Corridor to be reinstated (I thought there was hope for her but clearly not) Now if you care to read that first draft - in fact why not download the .pdf from here http://npf.ie/ - and do a word search on it, the phrase "Western Rail Corridor" is singular in it's total absence. In other words, Mayo TDs, and such August bodies the Intercounty railway board and Western Development Commission have been ignored. The only rail route that is talked about with any serious strategic value is to develop the Belfast - Dublin - Cork route. Which happens to be the exact axis route identified in European TEN-T Transport policy, the days of anything West on Track being automatically written into any government sponsored policy document are long since gone, believe me they are over.

    Sean Kynes latest trip to the local media in the west and bruhaha about this vital need for the WRC is in response to the fact that the first draft document didn't even mention the WRC as an aspiration. Sean Kyne is focussing on the Atlantic Economic Corridor concept, the new battle cry which West on Track are hoping to leverage the WRC back into favour with, now folks the devil is in the detail here, as ever it is. Take a look again at the first draft Ireland 2040 plan, and suggest a word search on the .pdf http://npf.ie/, for the phrase "Atlantic Economic Corridor" it pops up a few times and is becoming a bit of a Western War Cry, however look what they said in the first draft report about transport under this very subject:
    Page 133 is probably the most clear statement that the Western Rail Corridor is no longer on the official agenda, It’s all about roads and not a squeak about the railway, doubtless West on Track will be seeking to amend this, which is why Sean Kyne has been in the papers of late. Just look what it says below, can you imagine West on Track allowing that to happen ten years ago in such an official and important document?


    Extract from page 133 of the Ireland 2040 plan
    Accessibility to the North-West
    Upgraded access to the North-West border area, utilising
    existing routes (N2/N14/A5).
    Upgrade northern sections of the N4 route and sections of the
    N3/M3 national primary route.
    Progressive development of the Atlantic Economic Corridor from
    Galway northwards by completion of the M17/M18, upgrading
    sections of the N17 northwards, where required and upgrading
    the N15/N13 link.

    You see folks the game is up. Now, and if you will bear me a while longer, just do a search on the word "greenways" in the same document and you will begin to understand that what some of us have been writing here for long time is beginning to percolate through to "official speak". The Western Rail Trail may not be mentioned as an official project however the thinking about greenways and the potential for a greenway network and for long distance greenways all lends itself very nicely to one idea that has been floating around now for a while, now what could that be?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,610 ✭✭✭eastwest


    I'm not aware of any theory or practice on the provision of public transport that prioritises the linking of airports by rail.
    I'm surprised at Kyne, I thought he had some modicum of cop-on. I guess I was wrong.


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