Irish Rail Unveils Plans To Double Frequency On Ennis Routes

Clare FM

Iarnród Eireann has unveiled its proposals to increase frequency and introduce an hourly service on the Ennis to Limerick rail line. At a special presentation before Ennis Chamber today, the company also provided significant updates on the Shannon Airport Rail Spur, the Ballycar Flood Defence Scheme and the reopening of the Crusheen Rail Stop. Iarnród Eireann used the meeting to deliver their plan for implementing the recommendations of the strategic All-Island Rail Review over the next 26 years. Among the aims of the programme is a rail link to Shannon Airport and reducing all intercity journey times to below 2 hours. Iarnród Eireann is hoping to connect Clare's International Airport to the rail network via a spur at either Cratloe or Sixmilebridge. Within the next 3 years, the company is aiming to gain stage 1 project approval, concecpt feasibility, costing and a preliminary design. Ennis Chamber CEO Margaret O'Brien insists timely delivery of the project will be crucial to the region's economic and tourism growth and says it's vital all stakeholders row in behind the plans. The Clare based CEO of Iarnród Eireann has set a goal of creating an inflection point in Irish society, where public transport overtakes the car as the first port of call for getting from A to B. Locally, the company is planning to provide an hourly service from Ennis to Limerick and reducing the travel time on the route to twenty minutes. This will be done by doubling the existing track infrastructure at Limerick Junction and introducing a looped track at Sixmilebridge, which will enable two trains to travel on the line simultaneously. The company is expecting the cost of the flooding solution at Ballycar, near Newmarket-On-Fergus to exceed €16m and is completing a new costing while it awaits funding approval from the National Transport Authority. If approved, Iarnród Eireann boss, Jim Meade believes the legacy flooding issues on the Ennis-Limerick line can be eliminated in the next two to three years. The Cooraclare native, who joined the company as an apprentice back in 1979, says providing top quality infrastructure in the MidWest is of paramount importance. Next year, Iarnród Eireann will aim to introduce the world's first ever Hydrogen powered locomotive and will begin the process of electrifying the rail network as part of a decarbonisation plan. The public transport provider is open to extending the rail network too and has confirmed its intention to progress with the reopening of the Crusheen Rail Stop, subject to funding approval by the NTA and Department of Transport. During the briefing, Green Party Deputy Leader Roisín Garvey confirmed Transport Minister Eamon Ryan would meet with a delegation from Crusheen to discuss the proposal, which is estimated to cost €4.5m. Nollaig Barry from the Inchicronan Development Group believes the reopening of Crusheen is a no-brainer.