Threat to Waterford Rosslare rail service alarming
Issued : Tuesday 16 March, 2010
The current threat to the Waterford to Rosslare rail service is very alarming.
It makes no sense to shut this service down as there has already been significant investment in the line under the Rail safety programme. The Rosslare Waterford route is also set to be a key link to the Western Rail corridor where it should facilitate commuters travelling directly between Galway and Rosslare.
Irish Rail has argued that because of the significant government cutbacks to their funding they must target services with lower customer volumes. However, there is huge potential for the development of this route which has been in operation for more than 100 years.
An analysis by Rail Users Ireland identifies a number of areas for development including a new Sunday service, increased targeted marketing of the service to college students in Galway, Limerick, Clonmel and Waterford and to sports fans using the ferry service at Rosslare, and a commitment for two hourly or better service between Galway and Rosslare with the opening of the Ennis to Athenry line.
The Labour Party believes that this route should be maintained as a vital commuter rail service. My colleagues Deputies Brendan Howlin and Brian O’Shea and Cllr. Joe Ryan have led an outstanding campaign to protect this critical rail service which is under severe threat due to the ongoing attack by the Fianna Fail/Green government on rail and other public transport services.
I have raised the maintenance of the Waterford Rosslare line on a number of occasions with Transport Minister Noel Dempsey and with Irish Rail CEO Dick Fearn at the Dáil Transport Committee. I will also raise this as a priority matter directly with Minister Dempsey again in the Dáil next week during Transport PQs.
It will also be top of the agenda when I meet Dick Fearn and his Irish Rail management team in one of my regular transport stakeholder meetings in early April.
