Madam, – The closure of the Rosslare to Waterford rail line is a stark contrast to the modernisation and re-opening of lines elsewhere on the rail network. Serving a sparsely populated area and with few patrons, closure was always threatening. But then only one, inconvenient, service was provided each way daily.
This rail route is the shortest and most direct one from south Wexford to Waterford and, with investment, could have been given a chance to develop. Apart from lack of services, it also boasted the lowest line speeds in the country. The daily train took one hour 20 minutes to cover the 61km route – 46km per hour!
Was improving line speeds and the provision of extra services considered? Were options such as providing a spur to allow direct services from Wexford to Waterford and possibly onward to Kilkenny or Limerick, considered? Or what about more innovative thinking such as the use of tram/trains and development of a tramway through Waterford to Tramore or the Waterford IT? The latter could incorporate the closed line to New Ross, making Waterford a rail hub for the south east.
A similar fate could await the Waterford to Limerick Junction line. Investment has been made in it, but speeds remain low and journeys average 53km per hour or less. Opening closed stations on this line close to Waterford has the potential for increased patronage but this line and others like it, including the Western Rail Corridor, can only survive if they can offer competitive speeds and frequent services.
The significant improvement in the national road network has made many rail services uncompetitive in terms of speed. Dublin to Cork is timetabled at two hours 50 minutes at present, averaging 94km per hour. Investment in the past decade has given us good rail infrastructure and modern rolling stock but speed is now the issue and speeds of 100km an hour on branch lines and 200km an hour on main routes is easily achievable given further investment. Without it we will not have a balanced transport network and an alternative to taking the car. – Yours, etc,