Presentation to the Joint Oireachtas Committee

on Transport and Communications 4 March 2015

West On Track is a voluntary community based group working with local authorities and statutory bodies, including Iarnród Éireann, to promote the re-development of the rail corridor between Limerick and Sligo through Clare Galway and Mayo.

West On Track was a member, together with representatives of Dept. of Transport; CIÉ, Railway Procurement Agency, Regional Authorities and Local Authorities, of the McCann Working Group which recommended the phased re-opening of part of the route in 2005.

The Report recommended further review of the Mayo – Sligo section.

West On Track has continued to promote the route and its services, and support Iarnrod Eireann and Mayo Industries in developing passenger and freight business – though our formal role ended in 2005 on the completion of the McCann Report and its presentation to Government.

WOT has contributed at every opportunity to public consultation by Government and its agencies on transport planning strategy.

Limerick to Ennis was re-opened in 1988 McCann (2005)recommended re-opening

Ennis to Athenry immediately so as to develop Limerick- Galway Intercity and Commuter services.

Limerick Galway trains were re-introduced in 2010 after an expenditure of €96m on the 35 mile Ennis- Gort - Athenry section.

After a sluggish start due to poor scheduling, marketing and presentation, passenger numbers today have exceeded projected targets, due to current management initiatives.

Passenger numbers on the Galway-Limerick railway (Western Rail Corridor) for 2014 were in excess of 220,000 according to statistics published by Iarnród Éireann, including a 72.5% increase in passenger journeys through the Ennis- Athenry section of the line, the largest annual growth on the rail network. It is worthy of note that the

Faber Maunsell passenger projections prepared for Iarnrod Eireann in 2005 anticipated 169,000 annual trips on the Galway Limerick Route

It is highly likely that Galway-Limerick boardings will exceed Dublin -Belfast boardings when the results of the 2014 passenger survey are published - due to the record growth on the Galway- Limerick route already reported

by Iarnród ÉireannIt is worthy of note that Faber Maunsell Projections prepared for Iarnrod Eireann in 2005

anticipated 540 daily boardings on the Galway Limerick Route

220,000 passengers journeys in 2014 were achieved despite the fact that the Ennis-Limerick section was closed for almost 4 months due to flooding at Ballycar.

Extra coaches are now required on peak time services due to demand growth.

Two international tour operators are planning to use the route in 2015 for heritage train operations.

There was a significant announcement last week of an €850m data centre investment from Apple to be built and located in Athenry.

The new centre will be the company’s largest data centre project in Europe, providing 300 jobs during its multiple phases.

The CEO of IDA Ireland, Martin Shanahan, said: “This is an important strategic investment by Apple in a regional location, with significant local economic benefits.

It is reasonable to expect the Apple investment will have an impact over a 60 mile radius making the completion of the fourth radial rail route north from Athenry even more justified.....

McCann suggested that it may be more cost-effective to complete the entire section between Athenry and Claremorris due to railfreight demand and he recommended that the potential for railfreight in the region be quantified.

On West On Track’s initiative Iarnród Éireann undertook a pilot project in 2005 to charter freight trains to private companies - at a time when the company had unilaterally decided to exit all except Tara Mines freight operations nationwide.

The pilot was successful and proved the projected demand expressed by Mayo Industries was real.Approximately 10,000 chartered freight trains have operated since to/from Mayo and the Ports of Waterford and Dublin.In 2014 over 1000 chartered freight trains operated to and from Mayo and the Ports of Waterford and Dublin.No subsidiesNo grantsAnd the EU has reported in 2013 that Ireland’s Rail Access Charges are 4 -5 times higher than those in Germany, France or the UK.

These are the only inter-modal freight trains operating on the island of Ireland today.

COILLTE PULPWOOD CHARTERS

BALLINA AND WESTPORT TO WATERFORD

DFDS LOGISTICS INTER-MODAL CHARTER

BALLINA TO WATERFORD PORT

Additional Timber Services Additional Inter Modal Biomass Wrapped Waste Meat Products

We welcome the decision of the Western Development Commission to prepare a formal report on the potential for new rail freight traffic in, to and from the Western Region.

IWT LOGISTICS BALLINA – DUBLIN PORT SERVICE

The potential now exists for substantial further railfreight growth according to the Irish Exporters Association; DFDS Logistics; IWT Logistics and Coillte – the paying customers.

Building Phase 2 of the WRC to re-open the 34 mile section between Athenry and Claremorris will enable this growth.

All freight trains to and from Mayo rely at present on a single track to Portarlington that is 130 miles long and carries Galway and Mayo passenger traffic also.

cost approximately €25-30m to complete – less than €1m per mile.

provide a shorter route to the Ports of Waterford (30 miles shorter); Cork (80 miles shorter) and Foynes (135 miles shorter) for growing Mayo freight exports.

decongest existing intercity routes where freight restricts passenger train paths.

meet current customers schedules requiring day-time transport.

satisfy industry expectations of a loop transport system remove the current necessity for freight trains to Waterford

Port to be shunted through the Greater Dublin Area

provide capacity to grow rail freight in Mayo,Galway and Clare

Claremorris is being actively considered as a location for a new inter-modal freight distribution hub due to its existing rail and road infrastructure. Direct rail access via the WRC to western and southern ports will greatly enhance such prospects

deliver a bonus of an extended west coast route for special tourist/heritage traffic all the way from Cork/Kerry to Limerick – Clare - Galway and Mayo in pursuit of growth on the Wild Atlantic Way

25 April 2013 The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicate that Ireland is at significant risk of not meeting its EU 2020 targets even under the best-case scenario.

“Significant reductions are needed in the transport and agriculture sectors which are currently showing an increasing trend in emissions into the future".

• Rail freight offers significant CO2 emission savings compared with road transport.

• Our research based on international findings indicate the carbon savings through displacement of lorry miles, of the Mayo rail freight operations, amount to €2m per annum.

• Each Irish freight train takes the equivalent of 18 articulated lorries off the roads and there is potential to double the size of trains to UK levels of 36 wagons.

Rail Vision 2030:•In 2012 Iarnrod Eireann commisioned a major report into the future strategy for the national rail network (Rail Vision 2030: The Future of Rail Transport in Ireland AECOM/Goodbody Economic Consultants).

The report evaluated a number of potential new regional rail passenger lines, with only Athenry to Tuam (Phase 2 of the WRC) envisaged as a candidate for further consideration. We believe the rail freight case strengthens this view.

References Cont.

Research conducted by Booz & Co in 2011 :

“Railway operating and infrastructure companies need to invest consistently – even during the current crisis – in expanding the rail network and driving forward

optimisation of capacity and order management”.

Source: Booz&Co. European Rail Freight Survey. [Online],

Rail Freight in the Republic of IrelandJuan Carlos Carrasco GimenezDublin Institute of Technology 2011

So whether it’s for rail freight or rail passenger benefit now is the right time

to advance the next phase of the Western Rail Corridor and connect

Mayo and Galway once again by rail.

Míle Buíochas