Galway councillors back reversal of greenway plan for Western Rail Corridor
CONNECTING Sligo to Galway by train should be the priority, not creating a new greenway.
That is the opinion of Cllr Peter Feeney, a long-time advocate for the reopening of the Western Rail Corridor, speaking at last week’s meeting of Galway County Council.
Irish Rail has given permission to Sligo County Council to build a new greenway along a 35km section of the Western Rail Corridor, from Collooney to Bellaghy. The track has been closed to passengers since 1963, and to freight since 1975.
Work is progressing on the reopening the rail line between Claremorris and Athenry and is projected to be complete by 2031. Cllr Feeney believed an opportunity to enhance the line further to Sligo in the future was being missed.
“This greenway is not something I feel Irish Rail wanted, but they were instructed to make the tracks available to be converted into a greenway by government officials,” remarked the Athenry councillor.
“This is typical of Dublin, doing their best to split up a network in the West that’s already there. Once the works to Claremorris are complete, we should be looking at going at least as far as Sligo. We need to fight to get this decision reversed.”
A motion from Cllr Feeney calling for the reversal of what he described as “a deplorable decision” to make the railway alignment from Bellaghy to Colooney available for a greenway, was unanimously backed by councillors.
The council will now write to the Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien, Junior Transport Minister Seán Canney and Irish Rail. It follows a similar motion being passed unanimously at Mayo County Council at their latest plenary meeting.
“I think they want to build a wall around Connacht, turn the place into a park for tourists,” commented Cllr Michael Connolly, the Chair of the Western Inter-County Rail Committee.
“It would be crazy to rip up the rail infrastructure, there is no reason why both projects can’t coexist, a greenway and railway line. It doesn’t have to be either or.
“We have got to the stage where you can get from Waterford to Cork to Limerick, Ennis to Athenry, with the next step being to connect to Tuam and as far Claremorris. We shouldn’t be depriving people in the likes of Sligo a chance to utilise a train service too.”