Cannon rails against reopening the line

A Government Minster has claimed that there are less than 40 people using the Athenry to Ennis rail connection on a daily basis.

Minster Ciaran Cannon said that rendered the service ‘totally uneconomical’ as he discussed the 100-plus submissions made in relation to the re-opening of the Athenry to Tuam and then Claremorris sections of the Western Rail Corridor.

He even said that a feasibility study into the provision of a rail service between Navan and Dublin has found that it would not be economically viable.

“So how on earth would a connection between Athenry and Claremorris be sustainable? It just doesn’t make sense,” he said.

“I understand that there has been quite a number of submissions to the Irish Rail request for opinions into the provision of a train service from Athenry to Tuam and onto Claremorris.

“While it might seem laudable, the reality is that a rail corridor along this track is out of the question and cannot happen from an economic point of view,” Minister Cannon added.

He said that there are people that will argue to the contrary – including his own Fine Gael colleagues – but he told the Connacht Tribune that the usage levels do not stack up.

“If we forensically examine the figures, the numbers using the Athenry to Ennis section average out at 39 people per day. That is horrendous. It is not sustainable,” Minister Cannon said.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

Get the Connacht Tribune Live app

The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City  and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.