Madam, - Every day, as I see all the cars parked at our local railway station in Woodlawn, Co Galway, I feel a sense of pride. This is the achievement of the local people who, for the past 30 years have campaigned, protested and argued with the management of Iarnród Éireann to keep the station open.
Woodlawn is one of the small stations on the main Galway/Dublin line, and because of its proximity to Galway city has become an attractive place for young couples to set up home. The accessibility of a local train is a further appeal.
So what is the problem? It would appear that management of Iarnród Éireann do not know the purpose of a timetable.
Trains are never on time, and on several occasions the waiting passengers have been left standing on the platform as their train just ignores them and continues without stopping.
This is not good enough. People are being late for work, lectures and other appointments. And then they are forced to take the car and become again what the Government says they want to avoid - contributors to carbon emissions.
The Government says it is committed to taking the car off the road. But even in the newly released details of the 2008 Budget we can see that this is not the case.
Millions are being allocated to road-building, and very little to updating of the rail system. The line between Galway and Dublin, which was built in 1854 and planned for travellers of the 19th century, is still in existence. The single-line system is the equivalent of a bog road being used to take all the traffic between Galway and Dublin.
It is time for the Government to get together with its planners, take a serious look at the Galway-Dublin Rail line, and put their money where their mouths are.
Otherwise commuters will be forced back again onto the road, adding further to the traffic jams. - Yours, etc,
MAEVE RAFTERY, Woodlawn, Co Galway.