Proposals for a commuter rail network linking Limerick with Shannon Airport, Ennis and Nenagh are being considered by the local authorities in the Midwest before being put to the Government. The proposals, contained in a consultant's report underline "the chance to build on Limerick's potential as a gateway to the west of Ireland by air for passengers and by both air and sea for freight."
A separate report on access within the city is critical of pedestrian access, saying that "walking is generally poorly provided for". The reports, written by Colin Buchanan and partners, and commissioned by Limerick Corporation and Limerick County Council, also involve local authorities in Clare and Tipperary.
They aim to reduce the impact of traffic and parking in Limerick by developing a transport strategy for the region, including Ennis, Nenagh and Tipperary town. The size of the region's labour force is expected to increase by 42 per cent, from 90,730 to 128,651, over 30 years, while the population is expected to increase from 216,000 to at least 250,000.
The unsuitability of the existing road network to serve new development makes creating a transport strategy difficult. The current Limerick-Nenagh rail service is "moribund", the regional study notes.
As a priority, it recommends doubling the single track between Limerick's Colbert Station and Limerick Junction. It states that while diversion of the Ennis-Limerick line to Shannon town and airport would be costly, it would attract business. "It is estimated that 26 kilometres of new track would be required at a capital cost of the order of £13 million plus three or four stations costing £1 million," it notes.
Eight preferred options are put forward for future settlement growth. Among them are suggestions to concentrate growth in Limerick; to develop new satellite towns; or to develop the city and just two new towns at the nearby villages of Birdhill, at Lough Derg, and Newmarket-on-Fergus, in Co Clare.
"A key transport element would be re-routing the rail line between Ennis and Limerick to run via Newmarket-on-Fergus and Shannon. Use of this line and the Limerick-Birdhill section of the Nenagh line by light rail on a relatively high frequency (15 minutes) would seem likely to attract a very significant proportion of traffic to, from and through Limerick."
A low-cost option would be to concentrate growth in Limerick, Nenagh and Shannon and Ennis. This would also involve rerouting the existing rail line to Shannon. "The realignment of the Ennis railway, coupled with a huge increase in population on that corridor, would be likely to justify a half-hourly train service which is more likely to attract a meaningful shift from cars."
In this scenario, an hourly rail service between Ennis and Limerick, where 70 per cent of the development would occur, would transport commuters. Separate proposals for Limerick city take into account the population growing from 87,000 to 95,000 over the next 11 years. They aim to make the city more pedestrian and cycle friendly while improving public transport. "The city centre urgently needs to address its weaknesses of chronic traffic congestion, parking difficulties and a somewhat rundown image".
The report notes that for walkers, the infrastructure is "very poor with most pavements and footpaths requiring improvement works". It states that "there are also very few guard rails and pedestrian crossings in the city, and there is a complete lack of well-lit, high quality, pedestrian-friendly routes". It also points out that there are no cycle lanes.
The city's urban bus service operates on 12 routes and dates from the early 1980s, when "CIE's remit was to balance the books".
Poor traffic management layout and traffic delays hamper the service. Evening services have been curtailed in some local authority estates because of vandalism.