Calls are being made for Irish Rail to make a firm commitment on the future of the Limerick to Galway rail line.
It comes after reports suggested that most of the country’s rail network is under threat of closure unless there was a significant increase in investment.
Irish Rail has moved to dismiss reports that most of the network is facing closure, after a report on the company’s funding needs stated that 460 million euro is needed to protect a range of services throughout the country.
It had been claimed that some intercity routes faced the axe, including the Limerick to Galway line, which includes stops in Sixmilebridge and Ennis.
But Corporate Communications Manager with Irish Rail, Barry Kenny says this is not the case.
Parts of the Limerick to Galway line has been plagued by flooding in recent years, and the section between Ennis and Limerick remains closed after it became submerged at Ballycar.
The service has also been dogged by questions about its usage, and the Ennis-Athenry portion of the route, which only opened in 2011, has previously been identified as a line which could be closed due to financial constraints.
West On Track Campaigner Michael O’Doherty says there’s no question that the service is needed but it requires further investment.
And the Crusheen man insists this won’t happen as long as there’s uncertainty over the future of the line.
Separately, there’s further uncertainty for rail passengers after the NBRU has said it’s to ballot it’s members for an all-out strike in a dispute over mentoring of new driving staff.
The Union says its members are being forced to train staff without agreement, and Killaloe Councillor Tony O’Brien, a member of the NBRU’s National Executive, says the company is not listening to the views of staff.
