Denis Naughten TD has called for additional rail service to and from Westport/Dublin each morning and evening by connecting in with the Dublin/Galway rail service in Athlone.
The Roscommon-Galway Independent TD stated during a recent Dail debate: "This would involve one additional set of rail carriages on the Athlone to Westport line with an additional 6.30am service from Westport to Dublin arriving at 9.50am in the capital. There would then be a return Dublin service departing at 9.25am arriving in Westport at 1pm.
"In the evening a 6.30pm departure from Westport would arrive in Dublin at 9.54pm, as well as facilitating a 7.35pm departure from Heuston Station arriving in Westport at 11pm.
"These additional services would dramatically improve the rail service from Mayo and Roscommon to Dublin if just a single set of the 41 new rail carriages ordered by Irish Rail are provided on the Athlone to Westport line, allowing for connections with the existing Dublin/Galway rail service."
Deputy Naughten pointed out to Minister Eamonn Ryan that the recent expansion of rail services announced by Irish Rail provided just one additional morning rail service to Westport but does not provide any additional rail connections to Dublin City or Galway.
He told Minister Ryan that the first measure that must be taken to enhance rail services was “to utilise the existing rail network in the west” and that he wanted a commitment from the Minister that “we get our fair share of the 41 new carriages that are coming on track”.
He said: “I want a commitment from him, in the first instance, that we will get two new rail sets servicing Athlone, one on the Galway line and the second set used to shuttle between Mayo and Athlone to connect the Roscommon and Mayo passengers with the Galway-Dublin services.
“Those two sets alone would dramatically transform rail services throughout the west, connecting counties Mayo, Roscommon, Galway and Westmeath for the first time since the foundation of the State,” concluded Denis Naughten.
