Full service begins on 1st phase of Western rail corridor

Date: 08 February 2010

Limerick-Galway rail line:

1st phase of Western rail corridor to see full services begin on March 30th 2010

Iarnród Éireann has announced that rail services between Limerick and Galway are set to commence next month.

The €106.5 million new route will be officially launched on 29th March 2010, following the completion of the rebuilding of the Ennis to Athenry line, and the receding of recent flooding between Limerick and Ennis, and full schedules will operate from 30th March.

Major infrastructure works were completed towards the end of last year, and driver training is well underway.

OVERVIEW OF PROJECT

After a gap of over 30 years since the last scheduled services on the line, the Ennis to Athenry renewal will:

- Deliver direct Galway to Limerick services, timed to meet commuter needs

- Serve Limerick, Ennis, Athenry and Galway; and new stations at Sixmilebridge, Gort, Ardrahan, Craughwell

- Expand commuter links to Limerick and Galway

- Promote balanced regional development, in line with National Spatial Strategy objectives, by linking two Gateways – Limerick and Galway – and serving the hub of Ennis

The investment project delivered by Iarnród Éireann involves:

- renewal of 36 miles of track, including all necessary fencing and drainage and installation of points and crossings at Gort and Ennis.

- a 90m platform with furniture, signage, shelter, Automatic Ticket Vending Machine, lighting, car park, PA, Customer Information Systems, help point and CCTV provision at Sixmilebridge, Gort, Ardrahan and Craughwell. These stations will also be accessible to the mobility impaired

- At Ennis and Athenry stations, PA, Customer Information Systems, help point and CCTV has been provided

- Repair and improvement work has been undertaken on bridges on the route to allow rail services to operate

- modernised signalling systems

- improvement to level crossings, and elimination where practicable

The service will launch with five services in each direction, Monday to Saturday, serving all stations en route, with four services each way on Sundays.

A spokesperson for Iarnród Éireann said “we are very much looking forward to the introduction of services between Limerick and Galway. There is tremendous public support for this new service along the route, and we look forward to many new customers using our services, both for travel between the cities, and for commuter travel to Limerick and Galway.”