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Briefing from West on Track re moves by Minister for Transport Séamus Brennan on the Western Rail Corridor

Press Release
Saturday February 14th 2004

The following is a briefing from West on Track following the statement made by the Minister for Transport Mr. Séamus Brennan T.D. yesterday Friday 13th February while on an official visit to the Western Rail Corridor.

Prior to the visit, in discussion with the Department, West on Track requested that the Minister would:

1. Pay an official visit to five stations of our choosing on the Western Rail Corridor, including three, which had been closed for almost 30 years. He did that.

2. Publicly reject the negative conclusions of last year's Strategic Rail Review about the Western Rail Corridor. He did that.

3. Publicly state that there would be no more interference by IE with any part of the WRC rail line such as occurred in the recent past at Athenry and Claremorris. He did that.

4. Announce his intention to proceed immediately with a high-powered and representative working party to examine as a matter of urgency which sections of the line might be opened on a phased basis, to clarify that it would not be a talking shop or be tasked with commissioning new studies or reports. He did that.

5. Give a general commitment of positive intent towards the entire Western Rail Corridor. He did that.

6. Specify at least one section as being the likely first stage of that process once the figures had been examined. He did that mentioning Tuam-Athenry-Galway.

7. Agree to allow a representative of the West on Track campaign to reply formally AFTER his speech. He did that.

8. Formally launch the major new study of the Western Rail Corridor, commissioned by West on Track. He did that.

9. Formally accept 100,000 signatures from communities throughout the West and Mid-West calling for the re-opening of the railway. He did that.

The next phase of the West on Track campaign will shortly be announced.