New Limerick-Galway Rail Service launched by Minister

Date: 29 March 2010

Almost 34 years after the last scheduled passenger train operated between Limerick and Galway line, a special launch train carrying invited guests has once again traversed the tracks between the two cities to officially open the new Limerick – Galway service.

The €106.5 million new route has been officially launched by Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey TD following the completion of the rebuilding of the Ennis to Athenry line. Scheduled services will commence tomorrow, Tuesday 30th March.

Joining Minister Dempsey and CIÉ and Iarnród Éireann Chairman Dr John Lynch at the launch celebrations were the Mayors of the cities and counties along the route, elected representatives, community and business groups, members of the project team and other invited guests

The Ennis to Athenry renewal will:
- Deliver direct Galway to Limerick services, in comfort, and with reliable city to city journey times
- Serve Limerick, Ennis, Athenry and Galway; and new stations at Sixmilebridge, Gort, Ardrahan, Craughwell
- Expand commuter links to Limerick and Galway
- Promote balanced regional development, in line with National Spatial Strategy objectives, by linking two Gateways – Limerick and Galway – and serving the hub of Ennis

The investment project delivered by Iarnród Éireann, and funded by the Irish Government under Transport 21, involved:

- Renewal of 36 miles of track, including all necessary fencing and drainage and installation of points and crossings at Gort and Ennis.
- A 90m platform with furniture, signage, shelter, Automatic Ticket Vending Machine, lighting, car park, PA, Customer Information Systems, help point and CCTV provision at Sixmilebridge, Gort, Ardrahan and Craughwell. These stations are also ccessible to the mobility impaired
- At Ennis and Athenry stations, PA, Customer Information Systems, help point and CCTV has been provided
- Repair and improvement work has been undertaken on bridges on the route to allow rail services to operate
- Modernised signalling systems
- Over 100 level crossings have been eliminated

CIÉ and Iarnród Éireann Chairman, previewing the service, said “already it is clear there is tremendous public support for and interest in this new service. We have boosted capacities on trains throughout launch week such is the level of enquiries from people right along the route, and we are very confident that demand will easily outstrip the projections made for this service.”

Further development of Western Rail Corridor
Further investment is planned for the Western Rail Corridor, including:
- a new Oranmore Station, with a planning application planned in the coming months, to open in 2011
- Iarnród Éireann are proactively working with the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs, Clare County Council and a local developer in a partnership approach to the development of a station at Crusheen
- Phases 2 & 3 of the Western Rail Corridor, Athenry to Tuam and Tuam to Claremorris, are integral parts of Transport 21, and will be developed subject to capital funding availability

West of Ireland rail services
The opening of the first phase of the Western Rail Corridor is the latest boost for West of Ireland rail services, which have seen significant development under Transport 21.

All Westport-Dublin, Galway-Dublin and Limerick-Dublin services are operated by the new fleet of Intercity railcars, offering high levels of quality and comfort. In addition, frequency has been improved, including new early morning services from Westport and Galway to Dublin.

Freight services have also been developed, with Ballina a key hub in Iarnród Éireann’s rail freight operations. This includes Ballina-Waterford container trains, Ballina-Waterford pulpwood business for Coillte, and a new service last year from Ballina to Dublin Port for containers. This latter service, operated with IWT, has been operating twice weekly up until now. From next month, this will expand to three full container trains weekly, and Iarnród Éireann will continue to seek to develop commercially viable freight business on our network.

Issued by:
Corporate Communications,
Iarnród Éireann,
Connolly Station,
Dublin 1.