Call to reopen Mayo railway station closed since 1963

An elected member of Mayo County Council has called for the reopening of Balla railway station which has been closed since 1963.

Councillor Cyril Burke has tabled a motion on the matter for consideration at the next meeting of the Castlebar Municipal District later this month.

The Fine Gael representative wants the authority to write to Irish Rail to consider reopening the station connection on the main Westport to Dublin line.

“We are now in a time of great change and every effort must be made to make public transport available to as many people as possible, particularly in light of the upcoming climate action agenda,” he explained.

The old Balla station first opened in 1862 and a shell of the building is still in place today.