Absence of a land-use strategy in Co Meath is the primary cause of delays in reintroducing a rail passenger service to the growing towns of Dunshaughlin and Navan, the Meath on Track campaign has claimed.
It said that without developing the population at key strategic locations along the disused railway line, it was "highly unlikely" that there would be a return of rail passenger services linking Co Meath with Dublin.
According to Meath on Track spokesman Proinsias Mac Fhearghusa, it is "essential that a population build-up is started in areas which will be serviced by train stations in Navan and Dunshaughlin" to support restoration of the line.
"At the moment, the Dunshaughlin and Navan rail link is still an aspiration eight years after it was first announced. Transport 21 only makes the offer of a railway - it is up to Meath County Council to facilitate it," he said.
"Cork County Council has been quietly implementing a land-use strategy for years to facilitate reinstatement of rail services to Midleton by ensuring that critical population levels were developed along the route of the railway."
Mr Mac Fhearghusa said a similar strategy was "curiously absent" from Meath County Council's plans, despite a 2002 land- use and transportation study, which had the support of An Taisce, Navan Chamber of Commerce, the GAA and others.
Although the reinstatement of the Navan line had been included in the Government's Transport 21 project list, Meath on Track is concerned that no progress has been made since the €34.4 billion investment programme was unveiled last November.
"Realistically, if Meath's commuters and businesses are to enjoy the benefits the reintroduction of rail services will bring to the county, then the key players in developing Meath economically and infrastructural must stop sitting on their hands," it said.
