A small group yesterday mounted a "loco-cycle" on a disused railway line north of Ennis, Co Clare, calling on the Government to approve an Iarnród Éireann plan to allow work to begin on the reopening of the Ennis-Athenry line.
It is 30 years since scheduled services operated on the railway line north of Ennis.
The Government has costed the first phase of the reopening of the western rail corridor from Ennis to Athenry at €74 million. It would connect Galway city to Limerick and Cork.
A business plan formulated by Iarnród Éireann is now with Minister for Transport Martin Cullen, and approval to allow work to start on the 36 miles from Ennis to Athenry is awaited.
Leading the group yesterday, Cllr Brian Meaney (Greens), said: "Feet are being dragged on sanctioning Iarnród Éireann to commence the works, and maybe this is being done for political purposes to make an announcement nearer the general election.
"The delay in sanctioning the business plan has cast doubts locally on the Government's assurance that phase one of the project will be complete by the end of 2008. Parts of the track have fallen into disrepair and this reflects successive governments' neglect of rail infrastructure in the regions."
Mr Meaney added: "The reopening of the Ennis-Limerick rail line to mainline standard proves that the public will embrace fully the western corridor. It is a nonsense that Galway city is not connected by rail to Limerick or Cork."
Mr Meaney, who devised the "loco-cycle" with Ennis man Gerry Murtagh, said that their intention was to cycle the line from Ennis to Claremorris, Co Mayo."The loco-cycle can accommodate six, has a top speed of 15kph and will take a couple of days to complete the journey." He explained that the cost of the "loco-cycle" was about €50, adding: "It is made up of recycled scrap parts and scrap metal."
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