Fine Gael policy (?) on Waterford/Rosslare rail closure

When I pursued FG Transport Supremo, Fergus O'Dowd, for the definitive FG position on the closure of the Waterford/Rosslare railway this was the best that he could manage - received today - more than three months after I contacted him. Quite why some ancient piece by an FG senator (whom I had never heard of) should represent FG policy on the Waterford/Rosslare line is beyond me. That's another vote lost for Paul Kehoe.

MONDAY 15 Mar 10

Rumoured closure of Limerick Junction rail line makes nonsense of transport policy and massive Western Rail corridor investment – Coffey Commenting on reports that Iarnród Éireann is planning to close Waterford's rail links both with Rosslare and Limerick Junction, Fine Gael Senator Paudie Coffey deplored transport planning by press leak and criticised the plans as making no sense in an overall transport strategy.

Commenting on reports that Iarnród Éireann is planning to close Waterford's rail links both with Rosslare and Limerick Junction, Fine Gael Senator Paudie Coffey deplored transport planning by press leak and criticised the plans as making no sense in an overall transport strategy. "RTÉ news reported on Friday that Iarnród Éireann was planning to close its Waterford-Rosslare rail line. That's bad news in itself. However there is worse reported in the Sunday Tribune (Sunday 14th March) which claims Iarnród Éireann has been in secret talks with Noel Dempsey's Transport Ministry to scrap the Waterford-Clonmel-Limerick Junction line as well. "Iarnród Éireann says it only recoups two percent of the cost of the Rosslare line in fares but seeing as they hardly run any trains, this is not surprising. There is a train from Rosslare at seven in the morning, and one back from Waterford at five twenty in the evening. The morning train isn't convenient for County Wexford shoppers coming into the city and the evening one isn't ideal for commuters. "If you compare the way the Suir Valley Railway runs successful tourist services through the summer, it's obvious there is scope for developing daytime trains through Wellington Bridge to Rosslare. And that's without taking account of the environmental argument for shifting freight by rail to Rosslare Europort. “I'm astonished by talk of closing the line to Limerick Junction. The Government is about to complete the first phase of the costly Western Rail Corridor, which will reopen the link between Limerick and Galway. This has involved re-laying track between Ennis and Athenry. The cost was estimated at €74m but Iarnród Éireann admits it will be €106m, and that's without buying rolling stock – track but no trains. "The first trains on the Western Rail Corridor should run in the next few weeks. What a time to talk about closing the Munster Rail Corridor. In fact, these are not two separate issues. The Western Rail Corridor was recommended by an Expert Working Group set up by the Government in 2005, which produced the McCann Report which argued that 'substantial rail freight could be carried southwards on the Western Rail Corridor all the way to Waterford’. McCann said this was important 'because Waterford is the only port with direct rail access on its quays; containers can be lifted directly from the freight cars onto the vessel’. This reduces handling costs and makes rail freight competitive with moving bulk goods by road. "The McCann Report added 'another benefit from carrying rail freight southwards on the Western Rail Corridor to Waterford is that it will free up rail capacity in the Dublin area especially at Connolly Station'. So the Limerick Junction-Waterford rail link is fundamental to the Western Rail Corridor strategy, on which the taxpayer has just spent €106m."This is not just a local issue for Waterford. It is about our ability as a country to produce an integrated transport plan. The Government's 'Transport 21' plan was obviously a gimmick. Closing two rail lines out of Waterford will make it a farce. Rail transport is too important for hole-in-the-corner talks between Iarnród Éireann and civil servants, which we only find out about through kite-flying in a Sunday paper."