Search Results for 'Western Railway Corridor'

The hopes of having Mayo linked up to the rest of the Western Rail Corridor in the near future were dealt a severe blow yesterday when the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform published the Government’s planned Infrastructure and Capital Investment programme from 2012 to 2016. Among the items mentioned in the publication was the Western Rail Corridor; the report states that the next phase of the corridor has been deferred for consideration in 2015 in advance of the next public capital programme.

Mayo Fine Gael councillor Patsy O’Brien recently dismissed the idea of a greenway along the northern section of the Western Rail Corridor line, north of Claremorris, as “short term gain” and “ad-hockery”. I am not sure what he meant by this term, but the Sligo Mayo Greenway campaign says the idea should not be dismissed flippantly and needs to be examined as a realistic alternative to any proposed railway in the current climate.

Fine Gael Cllr Patsy O’Brien this week has dismissed claims that rather than opening up the Claremorris to Colloney section of the Western Rail Corridor it should be opened as a greenway walk and cycle route.

West on Track campaigners have welcomed the census figures, describing the growth in population along the route of the Western Rail Corridor a real “boost”.

Iarnroid Eireann has been granted planning permission to construct a new railway station in Crusheen as part of developments to the Western Rail Corridor. Since it opened on March 30, 2010, the Galway to Limerick route has proved to be a resounding success accumulating more than 250,000 journeys. The addition of the station at Crusheen, along with a major commuter station at Oranmore, is expected to attract further custom to the route. It is expected that both new developments will open during the first half of next year.

Planning permission has been granted by the Galway County Council for a train station in Oranmore, with a total of 10 conditions.

The Green Party will spend three times more on public transport than roads – more than any other political party, John Carey, Green Party candidate for Mayo told a hustings event on sustainable transport in GMIT during the week.

Lack of information and disinformation is clouding the case for the Western Rail Corridor which must proceed to cope with huge demand for rail travel in the region, according to Claremorris Chamber of Commerce.

Mayo hoteliers this week welcomed the setting up by Minister Mary Hanafin of an industry wide group to oversee and drive actions on measures to support tourism in Ireland. Fergal Ryan, Chairman of the Mayo branch of Irish Hotels Federation (IHF), stated that tourism must remain to the fore of Government policy and decision making if Ireland’s largest indigenous industry is to play its full role in the recovery of the Irish economy. In particular, Mr Ryan welcomed the commitment shown by Minister Hanafin in chairing the renewal implementation group and the Government’s acknowledgement of the importance of maintaining investment in overseas marketing. He also congratulated local hotelier John Raftery, chairman of the IHF Marketing Committee and proprietor of the Downhill Inn Hotel, Ballina, on his appointment to the Group.

There has been widespread condemnation of the Government’s omission of the third stage of the Western Rail Corridor,from the newly announced capital investment programme, by opposition politicians in the county. The third stage of the corridor, which would link Claremorris to Tuam, was not included in the new capital investment programme which will run until 2016.