Local Independent Deputy Denis Naughten, has called on the Minister for Transport to stop ignoring the proposed city status for Athlone when it comes to the allocation of the 41 new rail carriages being delivered to Irish Rail and ensure that two new trains are based there to enhance the rail services to both Galway and Westport.
The local Deputy is looking for one of these trains to provide an additional rail service arriving into Galway city before 8am from Athlone with a return service in the evening to connect with the Westport rail service. He also wants the second train to be used to enhance services between Athlone and Westport, connecting in with the Dublin to Galway service.
Deputy Naughten raised the issue with Minister Eamon Ryan when he sought a commitment that some of the 41 new rail carriages being delivered to Irish Rail would be based in Athlone, providing a commuter service into Galway city and enhanced connections to Westport.
He pointed out to Minister Ryan that the recent expansion of rail services announced by Irish Rail completely ignored the Galway to Athlone rail line despite Galway city being choked with traffic and the outer ring road in Galway being long-fingered again.
He went on to highlight that in the first major rail carriage investment under the Minister’s tenure, Galway city has been ignored and Athlone, which is due to become a new city with three major rail lines, gets just one morning train to Westport and another one from Tullamore.
He told Minister Ryan the first measure that must be taken to enhance rail services is “to utilise the existing rail network in the west” and that he sought a commitment from the Minister that “we get our fair share of the 41 new carriages that are coming on track”.
“I want a commitment from him that we will get two new rail sets servicing Athlone, one on the Galway line and the second 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,” Deputy Naughten concluded.
