Sir, – According to the recent National Transport Authority Rail Review, the third-worst performing line on the network in terms of cost of subvention per passenger journey is the Ennis to Athenry line.
The Western Rail Corridor reopened at a cost of €105 million in 2010. Yet to appease Independent Alliance Minister of State Sean Canney, there are still plans to have yet another report into the potential to reopen the railway line from Athenry to Claremorris. Great idea! Lets extend the third-worst performing line in the country to really cripple Irish Rail!
In the meantime, the obvious opportunity to preserve the route in public ownership with a greenway, which would bring tourism jobs from Athenry to Sligo, is being ignored by our Minister of Transport as he knows it will upset his colleague in Government, Mr Canney. – Yours, etc,
BRENDAN QUINN,
Enniscrone,
Co Sligo.