West=On=Track
-News
Opinion Poll Findings show
Significant Passenger Demand for Western Rail
Corridor
Press Release 31st October
2006
The West on Track Community Campaign has welcomed the
findings of the MRBI/TG4 Opinion Poll in Galway West which
show that almost a quarter of those interviewed would use
the soon to be reopened section of the Western Rail Corridor
from Ennis to Athenry and that 8% would use it at least 2-3
times per week.
Commenting on the findings, a spokesman for West on Track
said: "These figures more than bear out the passenger demand
projections of West on Track and are in line with ongoing
research being conducted both north and south of Athenry
which indicate that demand north of Athenry (the Mayo-Galway
route) is 80% of that south of it," he said.
"For example, if 23% of the population of Co. Galway over
18 yrs (approx 150,000) were to make a return journey just
once a week, as indicated in the MRBI Opinion Poll, that
would generate 828,000 passenger journeys per year (see 1
below).
"It should also be borne in mind that this high level of
potential patronage is within just one of the counties to be
served by the line (i.e. Galway). We welcome the fact that
our passenger demand projections have now been independently
verified and expect our projections of demand north of
Galway to be accepted as equally accurate.
"The findings of the TG4 poll clearly justify the
decision to proceed with the Ennis-Athenry section of the
WRC and should encourage the Government to include Phase 2
from Athenry to Claremorris immediately.
"Working from the statistics in the poll it may be seen
that potentially greater numbers of people would be using
that one section of the WRC annually than currently use the
Belfast-Dublin route, with numbers being at least as great
as those currently using the Limerick-Dublin,
Westport-Dublin and Sligo-Dublin routes," he added.
Example:
23% of respondents say they will use the train at least
once a month.
As a % of total pop of Co. Galway over 18 yrs (150,000
approx):
= 34,500 people x 12 months
= 414,000 x 2 (return trips count as 2)
= 828,000 = DEMAND
Note: WEST ON TRACK projected a demand of
750,000
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