Initial feasibility 'very positive' for big Mayo rail investment
The new CEO of Iarnród Éireann, Mary Considine, has told a hearing at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport that the initial feasibility and the initial soundings are looking very positive for the reopening of the Western Rail Corridor from Athenry to Claremorris.
She also revealed that that the pipeline of rail projects leading from the national development plan to the All-Island Strategic Rail Review (AISRR) is currently being confirmed and is likely to be known in November.
She told members that Iarnród Éireann is working with the Department of Transport to identify priority projects to support the delivery of the AISRR vision and that feasibility works and preliminary designs for Athenry to Claremorris are already under way.
Responding to a question from Deputy Louis O’Hara, Ms. Considine said: “There is identification of the route and the preliminary designs and feasibility works. There is already a team in our organisation looking at that.
"We have started the feasibility works with some funding from the Department of Transport but we need funding for the next stage to do that detailed design. We are having those conversations.
"It will go back to those priority projects that will be identified in the NDP. We hope to have sight of that in the coming month as well as information as to how they will be funded.
"At this stage, if there were no constraint on funding, this project could be delivered probably in three years.”
Regarding the section from Claremorris to Collooney, Ms. Considine again referred to the Athenry-Claremorris project saying: “It goes back to the point about the western rail corridor.
"The initial feasibility and the initial soundings are looking very positive for that route, and the more there is demand for it the more the extension to Collooney looks like it would be viable.
"As the deputy rightly pointed out, it is not in the current strategic rail review, but there is, as I mentioned earlier, an opportunity. That will be reviewed at a point in time. If the first stage goes really well, one would be optimistic that it could be included at that stage.”
In a response to a further question from Senator Nessa Cosgrove later in the hearing, Ms. Considine added: “As I am from the west of Ireland, I empathise and I understand the importance of rail from the perspective of balanced regional development.
"Regarding the extension out to Collooney, the line is being preserved for future rail reuse. That is really important. The plan is a framework.
"If we can accelerate some projects, we would be very open to that. It is all subject to funding and the business case but the initial soundings around the western rail corridor are very positive. We hope that this momentum will continue for the spur to Collooney further out.”