Sir, – Richard Logue (Letters, November 3rd) introduces the term greenwashing in his letter regarding the expansion of the rail network. Greenwashing is the act of making false or misleading statements about the environmental benefit of a product or service. Here in Sligo we are lucky to have a fully intact but currently closed railway to Galway, our regional capital. The Sligo-Galway line is in the same condition as the line was between Limerick and Galway before it was reopened in 2010. The Galway-Limerick line is now an outstanding success and is Ireland’s fastest growing passenger railway by some distance. Some believe that turning part of our railway to Galway into a rural greenway is a good idea. Those same people would say the same about the Galway Limerick line if it wasn’t already open. The cost of rebuilding the Galway Limerick railway to 80m/ph standard was €1.7 million per kilometre. For comparison, the cost of the New Ross-Waterford rural greenway built on an intact but closed railway is €1.35 million per kilometre. The railway now removes close to 1,700 commuters (1,500 cars) between Galway and Limerick from the road network daily. Reopening Sligo’s line to Galway will be good for economic growth and the environment. Providing a rural greenway instead will represent greenwashing. – Yours, etc,
PETER BOWEN-WALSH,
Ballisodare,
Co Sligo.