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Welcome to West=On=Track Re-opening The Western Rail Corridor As stated in the Transport 21 policy document of November 1st 2005, it is now Government Policy to re-open the Western Rail Corridor as part of a comprehensive rail development programme for the whole country. This is to be done in 2 phases, commencing with the Ennis-Claremorris section and followed by the Claremorris-Collooney section. Rebuilding Works on Ennis-Athenry Section Work is now well under way on the construction of the new railway by Iarnród Éireann between Ennis and Athenry, as the following pictures show. The current construction work involves the upgrading of 36 miles of track and associated infrastructure, the elimination of 125 farm/accommodation crossings and the provision of five stations at Gort, Ardrahan and Craughwell (on the Ennis/Athenry section), Sixmilebridge (on the Limerick/Ennis section) and Oranmore (on the Athenry/Galway section). The track and signalling will be capable of accommodating both freight and passenger trains. Seven services a day in each direction are planned between Limerick and Galway cities. Completion of works on Claremorris-Collooney Section Following preliminary works in Winter and Spring of 2005-2006, official clearance work on the northern section of the line (Claremorris to Collooney) began on the 18th September 2006. This work was be carried out by Iarnród Éireann over the past year. The purpose of the works was to re-establish the boundaries, prevent further deterioration of the line section and prevent any development that may otherwise impinge on the proposed detailed works required for the reopening of the line. Specifically, the works included fencing, hedge cutting, renewal of level crossing gates as well as the provision of some essential drainage, removal of ivy and overgrowth from bridges and the provision of mileposts. This phase of the project is scheduled to be completed by December 2007. Latest News CSO Regional Report Reinforces Need for Full Implementation of the National Spatial Strategy - BMW Press Release 26th June 2008 Statement by Mayo Chambers on the Western Rail Corridor - 19th June 2008 Call To Save Western Rail Link By Extending Across Border - Irish Times 18th June 2008 Attempts To Sabotage Western Rail Corridor Will Fail - Press Release 14th June 2008 Station house purchase boost for West rail link - Limerick Leader 22nd May 2008 Rail Stop at Crusheen Remains a Possibility: Minister Killeen - Press Release 15th Feb 2008 West on Track welcomes Appointment of Helen Rochford Brennan to Western Development Commission - Press Release 11th Feb 2008 West on Track welcomes Commencement of Relaying of Western Rail Corridor - Press Release Nov 16th 2007 EU Commitment to Funding for Co-Modality Rail Projects - Press Release Oct 9th 2007 Taoiseach Confirms Western Rail Corridor to be Built Directly to Claremorris - Press Release May 10th 2007 Rail Corridor Cycling Event Set for Sat 28th April - Press Release April 22nd 2007 Minister Cullen Confirms Roll-out of Western Rail Corridor - Press Release April 19th 2007 West on Track Survey Results - Press Release April 8th 2007 Time has long passed for a genuire Regional Policy including Regional Transport Strategy - Statement by Michael D Higgins Major Charity Cycling Event to highlight Rail Corridor Campaign - Press Release March 6th 2007 Minister announces expansion plans for Ceannt Station, Galway - February 22nd 2007 Rail Corridor Cited in Major Economic Announcement For Galway - Press Release Nov 28th 2006 West on Track Supports Call for Crusheen Halt - Press Release Nov 12th 2006 Minister Killeen Proposes Rail Stop at Crusheen, County Clare - Nov 12th 2006 Opinion Poll Findings show Significant Passenger Demand for Western Rail Corridor - Press Release Oct 31st 2006 Iarnrod Eireann given the green light on the Western Rail Corridor - Press Release Oct 5th 2006 Letter to The Editor 'Western People' - Sept 29th 2006 West on Track welcomes Commencement of Rebuilding of Western Rail Corridor - Press Release Sept 26th 2006 Cullen gives Iarnród Éireann go ahead to begin work on Western Rail Corridor - Dept Transport Press Release Sept 26th 2006 Work Begins on euro5m Western Rail Corridor Line Clearance - Press Release Sept 18th 2006 Government Thinking on Railways now on Right Track - The Irish Times Sept 18th 2006 Local groups demand railway revolution - Sunday Business Post Sept 17th 2006 West on Track welcomes Commencement of Clearing Works for Western Rail Corridor - Press Release Sept 18th 2006 Students call for Western Rail Corridor to re-open - Western People Sept 6th 2006 Western Rail Corridor announcement coming very soon, says Connolly - Tuam Herald Aug 31st 2006 Western Rail Corridor: date sought for re-opening of Sligo section - Sligo Champion Aug 9th 2006 Gridlock in Galway City - Irish Independent Aug 14th 2006 Western rail project to be announced soon - Sunday Business Post Aug 6th 2006 Photo Exhibition - Claremorris 4th to 7th August 2006 Decentralisation, the WRC and Regional Development - Irish Times June 19th 2006 Rail attack brings sense of déjá vu - Western People June 13th 2006 Response of Fr Mícheál MacGréil to the Irish Times - Irish Times June 21st 2006 Huge Support for Integrated Regional Transport Initiative for Galway and its Region - Press Release Michael D Higgins TD Letter to The Editor, Irish Times - June 2006 Let's put the west back on track - Irish Times June 12th 2006 Minister makes Dáil Statement re Re-opening of Western Rail Corridor - May 30th Transport plan: Sligo will be left behind - Sligo Champion May 17th 2006 Chamber leads campaign for rail corridor to Sligo - Sligo Champion May 10th 2006 For earlier news items see the news section. Reports The WRC: A Critical Element of Transport 21 - paper by Frank Dawson McCann Report May 2005 Conference Friday 13th May - download pdf file Check out Burma Road 1981 for a photo tour of the Western Rail Corridor and see the latest "track clearance" photos below. Inspection between Athenry and Claremorris - see report and photo. Sections of the WRC Report available for download as Microsoft Word files: Executive Summary Introduction Revenues and Running Costs Sample Case Studies Track Survey 2003 Track Clearing Tuam to Athenry Tubbercurry Station Liskeevey Milltown Ballindine View from Varley's Bridge

 

Cloonascragh Tubbercurry   Working at Claremorris Station Tubbercurry

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