Madam, - I wish to respond to the criticism of the article by Frank McDonald and of your Editorial which raised the issue of the sustainability of the proposed Western Rail Corridor.
Frank McDonald has been criticised by Lisa McAllister of the Western Development Commission and by Fr Mícheál McGréil. Ms McAllister and Fr McGréil, however, were both unable to address the central issue which is the viability of the railway. Nobody has yet made a convincing business case for the reopening of the line.
I walked the entire rail line between Collooney and Claremorris in the mid-1990s while researching its potential use as a linear park. What is immediately obvious is that there is a level crossing every two miles. This would mean either significant additional costs or speed restrictions. The line also runs to Athenry, so a train switch would be needed if one were travelling to Galway. This would mean that a train journey from Sligo to Galway would take between three and four hours, minimum.
Both Bus Éireann and Feda O'Donnell operate excellent bus services between Sligo and Galway.
Feda O'Donnell's buses take two hours for the trip and charge €10.
Why would anybody in his/her right mind choose to travel from Sligo to Galway by train when they could get there in almost half the time by travelling by bus?
My belief is that Frank McDonald, who is very pro-rail, is correct in his questioning the need for the Western Rail Corridor.
He is certainly correct in asking that a solid business case be made before a decision is made to proceed with the project. - Yours, etc,
FELIM O'ROURKE, Lecturer in Economics, IT Sligo, Ballinode, Sligo.