The All Island Rail Review promises a well-connected Cork City

Yesterday, the All Island Strategic Rail Review was finally, finally published, after over a year of delay. The publication was continually pushed due to the lack of a government in Northern Ireland – as a crossborder initiative, it was required for relevant departments from both governments to sign off on it. Nonetheless, all of its contents were finally brought to the Cabinet yesterday, and were finally revealed to the public. The report promises never-before-seen investment, but what will it mean for the people of Cork?

Cork is ahead of the curve

Many of the direct rail benefits that Cork will see have already been in the pipeline for some time, namely the upgrades to the Cork suburban rail that were first brought to fore in 2019. The double tracking of the section between Glountaune and Midleton has already progressed to hearing stage, and much has been made of the new stations that will be brought to the region. Service frequency has already doubled along the Cork to Midleton and Cobh routes. As such, there isn’t anything especially juicy in terms of new rail stations or routes in the Cork Metropolitan Region.

West Cork Rail was considered but ‘parked’

Despite our efforts last year in the West Cork Rail Report to provide a comprehensive overview of how rail services can return in an efficient manner to West Cork, the review details that rail will not be returning to West Cork. This is, of course, deeply regrettable. As with the point above, this is not new information, with Minister Ryan having rejected our proposal last year. One thing which is a positive, is that our report was seemingly considered in at least some capacity, in the form of a line connecting West Cork to Cork Airport, and onward to Cork Kent. This was ‘parked’ for two reasons. The first, was that demand was projected to be insufficient. The second was that the rail route was expected to have an adverse effect on an area of outstanding natural beauty. While we disagree with these conclusions, we are grateful for the consideration, and this is something which we will pursue further in the consultation period. 

Carrigaline, however, is mentioned as a large town that will lack any form of rail transportation after the review. This is briefly addressed, in which an extension of the Cork Luas system is mentioned to link both Carrigaline and Cork Airport to the rail system. Similarly to the point above, this is something that we explored in the West Cork Rail Report, and suggest that a combination tram-train system may be most appropriate for such connections. One point of contention from this is that Cork Airport will be the only main airport on the island of Ireland without a direct rail connection, as Shannon, Dublin, and Belfast International will all gain important rail connections.

Non-Cork Benefits

For one brief second, let’s acknowledge there’s a world outside of Cork. Railways will return to Donegal, Cavan, and Monaghan after a long absence. Limerick will gain a significant suburban network. A direct connection will return to Wexford and Waterford/Rosslare. Northern Ireland’s western half will see a major new route from Derry to Dublin. And there’s even more. This is incredibly significant, especially given the almost complete stagnancy of the national rail network since the 1960s – nothing of this scale has ever been proposed. This is the work of a great many local activists, campaign groups, and those rare politicos with their ear to the ground. The potential for a renaissance in railway construction is massive, not just over the next decade but stretching long into the future.

Improving the Cork-Dublin rail trunk

The Cork to Dublin route, the most important ‘trunk’ of the mainline rail network, is to be fully electrified, likely using overhead electric wires. This will enable improved reliability, better passenger experience, as well as higher speeds. It is expected to achieve ‘higher speed’ rail of 200km/h, which is likely to be better suited to the national network than full high speed rail – as great as high speed rail would be, it isn’t the right fit at the current time. It will enable the journey to be completed in less than two hours (likely around 1.5 hours with all improvements implemented), reducing the travel time by half an hour to an hour, and improving competitiveness with motor vehicle transport. This will be achieved through a number of measures, including introducing passing loops for slower trains, straightening curved sections of track, and through the aforementioned electrification. One of these will be a new straight section of track between Portarlington and Hazelhatch, bypassing the Kildare and Naas stations and section of track.

Dublin Airport will receive a rail connection, in the form of a spur from the line at Clongriffin. Cork to Dublin Airport services are mentioned as a feasibility, pending the delivery of a ‘cross Dublin solution’ likely in the form of the much-studied underground tunnel between Houston and Connolly. This ‘cross Dublin solution’ would also enable direct Cork to Belfast services. The higher-speed Cork-Dublin route would increase to half-hourly frequency, as one of the country’s busiest routes. 

Cork to Other Cities

These connections are some of the most significant from the report, providing faster, direct, and frequent services between Cork and nearby cities. There is the aim of hourly services from Cork to Galway, Limerick, and Waterford. There will be direct services from Cork to Limerick and Galway. Additional upgrades at Limerick Junction will allow for direct services from Cork to Waterford. These are some of the most significant benefits for regional connectivity, with the need to change trains at Limerick Junction removed, as well as the reduction of the Cork-Waterford train route to less than 2 hours. Services ongoing from Cork to Wexford/Rosslare Europort are not mentioned explicitly, though would theoretically be enabled by the new Waterford-Wexford rail link. It is a similar situation with the new Shannon rail spur which has been progressing over the past two years, where direct Cork-Shannon services will also be feasible.

Line speed increases will be the chosen method to improve services, instead of a new direct line from Foynes to Charleville.

Many more direct destinations will join the departures board

Freight and the Port of Cork

A freight line to Ringaskiddy was considered, but dropped due to being ‘costly and disruptive’ (we prefer the terms ‘significant investment’ and ‘transformative’.). A freight service will connect Marino Point near Cobh with the greater rail network. The Marino Point connection will act as the rail connection for the Port of Cork. An inland freight depot is expected to be built in North Cork, on a site with both rail and road access, possibly between Charleville and Mallow. There are additional investments in freight across the island, with the aim of increasing freight usage from less than 1pc to between 5 to 10pc, roughly in line with that of other island and peninsular rail freight operations in Europe.

The report endorses ‘tunnelled solutions’ in urban areas. Both Dublin’s mentioned east-west link, and areas through Drogheda and Lisburn will utilize tunnels. This approach may have played a part in the rejection of certain railway extensions in and around the Cork City area, such as the Cork Airport and Ringaskiddy connections. There are alternatives to tunnelling which are discussed in the West Cork Rail Report.

Consumer Experience and Journey Times

There is a short section on customer experience, and the need to improve lighting, warmth, and availability of food and other services at stations. Wayfinding and information is also noted as being important as part of ongoing efforts to improve service quality. There is also mention of need for better accessibility at stations, though does not go into great detail on how this will be achieved.

There is much focus on improved journey times. Achieving these is a stepped approach, with improvements often necessitating several different efforts. For instance, improvements at junctions may improve by 10 minutes, new sections of direct track by a further 10, etc. Many of these will be significantly faster than by car. 

• Cork to Dublin will drop from almost 2.5 hours to 1.5 hours (vs over 2.5 hours via car)
• Cork to Dublin Airport will become almost 2 hours (vs just under 3 hours via car)
• Cork to Galway will halve from around 4 hours to around 2 hours (vs 2.5 via car)
• Cork to Waterford will become 1.5 hours

There is no specific mention of improvements along the Cork-Tralee, the Mallow-Tralee track is noted as being approved for on-line upgrades, which will likely be straightening of track, implementation of passing loops, and improved service frequency between Cork and Tralee. 

stations will need to improve lighting, warmth, and catering options

Short Term Upgrades

Within the short-term (by 2030), the report recommends improvements at Limerick Junction to facilitate through services from Cork to Limerick and Galway. Other improvements to improve speed on the Cork-Dublin trunk line are also recommended. There are many other items for the short-term list, such as safeguarding of new route corridors, but no other ones particularly relevant to Cork.

Caveat Emptor

Of course, the report is primarily advisory for the time being, and implementation is subject to the *political guidance and implementation* of both jurisdictions. The (valid) tendency is there to be all suspicious about major projects, but railway projects have been progressing as well as expected over the past few years. Clearing work has begun on new lines around Limerick, and upgrades around Cork have already begun to see a doubling of commuter service frequencies. New carriages for the network have already been ordered. Other parts of the report are already (technically) underway, especially those related to capacity and service frequency. There is much cross-pollination between this and other plans and strategies like the National Development Plan and the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy. The last major project by Transport Infrastructure Ireland, the Luas Cross City, was completed in 2017 on schedule and on budget. Don’t let your politicians off the hook – contact your TD or councillor and tell them you support this and want to see more trains, better service, and increased connectivity.

If there is anything we have missed, please let us know. There are several hundred pages of additional supporting documents behind this report, which we have made every effort to read as thoroughly as possible.

Conclusion

The All Ireland Strategic Rail Review is transformative for rail services across the island. This will be the largest investment in the rail network in living memory, and if delivered in full can give Ireland railway services to be proud of. It is, of course, not perfect – there is room for further improvement throughout the consultation period (open until September 29th!). Most of the content isn’t news on the Cork side, with additional connections already underway, or ruled out, but the real good news is in the potential for significantly improved connections to nearby cities and across the region. Higher speed rail will provide a 21st century solution to Cork Dublin connectivity, while Cork Kent will become a major hub for railway services in Ireland.

There are still some ways in which connection can be improved, and we will pursue additional information relating to new stations or rail corridors during the consultation period to inform any campaigns going forward.

Cork Commuter Coalition 2nd Birthday + Year Recap

This week, the Cork Commuter Coalition celebrates its second birthday. Since being founded in early 2020, we have fiercely advocated for improved public transport and active mobility throughout the Cork Metropolitan Area and beyond. While early 2020 wasn’t exactly the most opportune time to be setting up an organization, we are of course glad that we have seen such support and embrace from the people of Cork, and transport advocates throughout Ireland. 

As a group, we’ve done a lot in the last year. We’ve provided input for more and better transport in the multitude of consultations this year, including for the National Development Plan and the Cork City Development Plan, as well as for other local and regional schemes. 

It’s been a big year for buses in Cork, with the design phases of BusConnects Cork in full swing. We’ve written analyses and recaps of the Cork BusConnects Draft New Network, and provided coverage of each of the public meetings in a bid to increase public understanding of the draft new network, and the logic and reasoning behind many of the choices. The Connecting Ireland scheme for intercity and regional buses also saw a launch, which we were pleased to provide a recap of, as well as a detailed submission for both plans. 

Just over six weeks ago, we published our West Cork Rail Report, the first in-depth analysis of a potential return of railways to West Cork since their unfortunate removal back in the 1960s. A labor of many months, we were enormously pleased that the report has received support from a wide array of media, politicians, and West Corkonians alike, shifting the frame and public discussion about what is possible for West Cork. While the idea has been well and truly put into the public sphere, there’s a large battle ahead in behind the scenes work. 

Kent to Clon, anyone?

We’re also thrilled that our chairperson, Ciarán Meers, has been selected as a member of the National Transport Authority’s Transport Users Advisory Group, a new advisory group set to provide input on transport policy. We eagerly await the opportunity to push for progressive transport policies both from within this group, while also informing our pushes from the outside. 

Of course, it hasn’t all been roses – there have been a number of setbacks both in Cork and across the country, from haphazard cycle lanes to disappointing delays of transport projects. However, we show no signs of slowing down. There’s lots to come in the next year, including the final New Network for Cork BusConnects in the coming weeks or months. The All Island Strategic Rail Review is expected to publish the results of the initial consultation in the coming months, which we will be watching for the inclusion of rail lines to West Cork. There’ll also be the litany of other consultations, projects, and schemes, which we look forward to seeing and engaging with – and more projects and campaigns from us as well.

We’re also thrilled to welcome the Galway Commuter Coalition to the fray. After a shortsighted decision by the Galway City Council to cancel a cycleway trial, and the disappointing decision to push forward with the Galway Ring Road, its truly excellent that there’s ordinary citizens in Galway (and indeed around the country) standing up against the business-as-usual approach to cars and congestion, and instead focusing on a greener future for transport. If you’re not already, you can follow them on Twitter at @GalwayCommuter, and if you’re from, in, or love Galway and wish to offer assistance, you can reach out at galwaycommutercoalition@gmail.com. 

Of course, there’s a long list of people to thank. To name just a few – JJ and Ellie from Tripe+Drisheen, who on many occasions have given us a platform for informing the people for Cork about the latest transport developments; people at the Cork Cycling Campaign and other groups we’ve worked with; and Caoimhín from the Dublin Commuter Coalition, who has provided us with both nice graphics and guidance – and is now leaving the DCC for a Communications position with the NTA (best of luck!). And of course, a thank you to everyone who has engaged with us, submitted to one of the endless consultation periods, or simply thought that bit more about transportation – we’d be nothing without the Corkonians we represent. 

If you want to get that bit more involved yourself, we’re going to be exploring new ways to expand the Cork Commuter Coalition within the coming months, so be sure to stay tuned!

If you’re involved with a group or organization; are in politics and want to reach out on policy; or are an ordinary Corkonian with a question – our email is corkcommuter@gmail.com, and we can be reached on Twitter at @corkcommuter.  

Release – Publication of the West Cork Rail Report

The Cork Commuter Coalition is tremendously pleased to publish our most recent project, the West Cork Rail Report. This document is an analysis of many of the opportunities, difficulties, and solutions that bringing railways back to West Cork will entail. This is not a hard-and-fast proposal, but rather an examination of the different options and choices that are available to ensure the efficient and effective return of rail to the towns and villages of West Cork.

Since the last passenger train journey in West Cork occurred in 1961, these historic rail corridors have been written off as a lost cause. There have been zero reports and zero studies by any government authorities into how to approach rail in West Cork. As such, the West Cork Rail Report is highly significant, as it is the first major examination into the reopening of the West Cork railways.

This report examines three main corridors – Cork-Macroom, Cork-Bandon-Clonakilty-Skibbereen-Bantry, and Cork-Passage West-Kinsale. We also analyze different rail types, issues in connecting to Cork City, and the legacy of past rail corridors.

This report is written in the lead up to the All Island Strategic Rail Review, a re-examination of the rail networks in Ireland and Northern Ireland, with the aim of potentially re-opening many regional and intercity corridors. We strongly urge all readers to give their input to the consultation period before Jan. 21 at https://strategicrailreview.com/feedback/ .

The Cork Commuter Coalition can be contacted for additional comment, questions, or queries at corkcommuter@gmail.com, or on Twitter at @corkcommuter.

West Cork Rail Report.pdf
View Report

The BusConnects Cork Draft New Network – a lot to be happy (and sceptical) about

The Cork Commuter Coalition position on BusConnects Cork’s Draft New Network : a very promising and forward-facing new network, albeit with underlying process issues.

Introduction

By now, BusConnects Cork’s Draft New Network has run through all of its public consultation meetings, has published all relevant documents, and as such it’s time to give a thorough evaluation of the proposed service upgrades to the Cork Metropolitan Area.

Thankfully, there is a lot to love in the proposal document. Through the level of detail given, it’s clear that there’s been a lot of time and consideration put into creating a bus network that is fit for Cork’s future, as it grows to be a city of half a million people (with 800,000 in the Metropolitan Area) by the middle of the century. The proposal doesn’t shy away from using new service types, and from embracing and adapting patterns of service that are found in transport systems in larger cities, and often draws on the best practice seen in European cities known for having excellent public transport networks.

A map of BusConnects Cork’s Draft New Network

Welcome Alterations

First and foremost, it is best to discuss the general shape that the new network takes. A lot of bus routes which haven’t been significantly updated since their inception receive new service patterns, better suiting the area and the city which they are designed to serve. For instance, the 220, a route of over 30 kilometers (and hence often subject to more delays), has been split into routes of more manageable distances.

There has also been great consideration given to experimenting with patterns of services drawing on best practice from elsewhere in Ireland and in Europe: in particular Cobh, an area in the metropolitan region connected by rail with a population of about 13,000 people that is zoned for densification and future growth, will receive its own dedicated Cobh Town Bus service. The area around Kinsale, Carrigaline, and Ringaskiddy will receive increased service throughout the region deviating from previous ‘traditional commuter’ patterns which focused on bringing people to Cork and back.

The new Cobh Town Bus Service

Frequent service plans contained in this scheme are also to be lauded. As the slogan goes, frequency is freedom – when service is so frequent that you don’t need to check the bus timetable, you can be assured that more people are going to use the service. Many of the statistics speak for themselves – the number of residents near a frequent bus route will increase by 34%. 

Excuse the low image quality – but the difference is plain to see

There are almost across-the-board increases in accessibility to jobs, educational institutions, and shopping areas, with almost all areas in the metropolitan area seeing increases in geographic distance travelable within an hour. The expansion of geographic access is also positive, with many more areas seeing bus routes for the first time. There are other bits that can be given focus on looking closer at the details of the plan for instance the orbital route, which will connect more existing bus routes, allowing for interchange and suburb-to-suburb connections, seems to have been drawn with particular care, given the issues that frequently arise with the planning and execution of orbital routes in many cities.

A map showing the changes in access to jobs within 60 minutes – increased access is in purple

There are however some questions remaining about individual aspects of this scheme. For instance there are areas in Ballyvolane which are zoned as a strategic housing development zone – encompassing a massive 700 houses – which actually sees bus service reduced from the existing frequency period, at a time when the population of the area will correspondingly increase significantly.  However these issues seem to be the exception, not the rule. Any new proposal will of course have its issues, and BusConnects Draft New Network thankfully doesn’t proclaim to be perfect. Of course the consultation period remains open until Friday the 10th, so if you see issues like this in your community, by all means please give your input! As evidenced by the impact the open consultation period this summer had on this Draft Network, your concerns really are listened to, so be sure to make your voice heard. 

Project Issues

Despite the many good and notable aspects of this plan there are however some underlying issues to the project which have become more evident a problem with the publication of the draft new network.

While from the outset of the plan there has been mention of the separation of the infrastructure procurement from the route design process, the issues with this are becoming more evident with the current plan. One of the key barriers to regular use of the bus for many Corkonians is the fact that it simply does not run on time enough to be reliable. As has been seen in many cities, and in many systems, fully connected bus lane networks are the main and the key component to ensuring buses run on time, are reliable, and are therefore used by the citizens of Cork. As concerningly mentioned in one of the consultation meetings, not only will there not be bus lanes and bus infrastructure on every part of the road that routes will go down. Most concerningly, the route design process openly labels that the success of this new network is dependent on ‘assumption’ of ‘faster, more reliable bus service’. 

There are also fears expressed by us that the disconnect between the route design and the infrastructure procurement will be sufficiently large enough to impact the success of the plan. As well as basing this concern off the fact that it is only obvious that these two elements of design are joined together, there are also concerns that every element of this plan (nine in total) are being dealt with separately. For instance, areas such as bus shelters and park and ride systems are further considered separately areas of the plan – designed and implemented separately – is of course of concern to us. 

Each of the 9 separate areas of the scheme – it is only natural that such a large project is dealt with in more manageable chunks, but is total separation the most effective way to go?

There is also an unfortunate mention that there will likely be a phased implementation of these new routes – a process in Dublin that is noted as creating unnecessary confusion among public transport users.

Nightmare Scenario?

This disjointment sounds bad, but it does get slightly worse when put into a real life scenario. While most journeys will continue to utilize one singular route, a new focus to the system is interchange, where it is free of cost to transfer from one bus route to another, with additional network elements planned such as greater coordination of public transport timetables to ensure that people can make maximum usage of the transfer systems. 

There is also to be a function known as pulsing – where a number of buses arrive at a stop, and wait briefly to allow passengers to interchange. Altogether, these form a part of a highly functional system – though you might have noticed it requires all buses involved to be on time. One can imagine the scenario if routes change, and many Corkonians see their regular journey now has shorter total travel time because it requires an interchange. Though without sufficient bus infrastructure, many of the timing and reliability issues will likely persist, resulting in buses continuing to be late – though now with the added downside of a higher number of people missing connections. Coupled with the shock to the system that will be the switch to the new routes, the nightmare scenario would be where the ineffectiveness of interchanges means that the bad publicity about the new network seriously impacts  – going from a reputation of “always late’’ to one of ‘’always late and leaves you standing in the cold’’, and seriously impacting what should be an incredibly effective launch.

Joined Up Thinking

This goes on to show a greater lack of “joined up thinking“ within a lot of government transportation plans. While this goes beyond BusConnects as a whole, it is undeniable that it is a key element within it. For example, there has been no mention of the expanded Park and Ride system, which was first announced within the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy in 2019. In the recent Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility scheme where there was the curious omission of any mention of the new Limerick rail lines, which were soft announced in the National Development Plan 2042. One must also wonder what the scenario will be with the All Island Strategic Rail Review – if (by some miracle) we see new rail corridors connecting West Cork to the national rail network from Cork City, will there be a second reconfiguration of certain bus routes to accommodate station transfers? Or will there be a period where certain infrastructure remains disconnected once more?

Just some of the many different schemes, strategies, and plans relating to transport in Cork
Affecting one leads to a knock on effect for the others – a sign of disjointed planning.

Naturally (and we can’t stress this enough) this is something we hope that we are wrong about. We hope that there is “joined up thinking” and that there is sufficient co-ordination between infrastructure and route design, and all the other bells and whistles that go into making it an efficient and unified transport system.

And as we mentioned above, there are of course the (comparatively minor) issues with night service. Cork City has pioneered Ireland’s first 24/7 bus route – the 220 – which has been a boon to clubbers and late-night workers alike. While the Ballincollig-Carrigaline service will continue from midnight to 5am, there has been a missed opportunity to create a night bus network, by making a number of major routes run 24/7. This could also be a key part to ensuring the revival of the city’s nightlife industry in the post-Covid period.

A night bus network could help stimulate and grow Cork’s nighttime economy, and provide essential service to those working non-traditional hours

Conclusion

Overall, this plan can be considered a coup for transport in Cork. It focuses on the future of Cork in a way that will facilitate both the city’s and the region’s economic growth and social development, while also considering key goals such as spatial balance and climate targets. While no plan will be perfect, and there are minor issues with a lot of different aspects of this, these are generally things that can be teased out and improved upon with additional consultation from the public – this plan draws heavily on the input of Corkonians as expressed in the previous consultation period (in case you’re harboring any doubts over whether your opinion will be listened to!) . However – there are lingering questions about a number of different elements of this plan and how they intersect with necessary here to objectives such as the delivery of protected infrastructure and other parts of the scheme that or no less important in ensuring a large integrated and outward looking for transport future for quarter the city and the surrounding region.

The submission period lasts until this Friday, the 10th of December. Detailed information about the project as a whole, your individual area, and the submission form is visible online here at https://busconnects.ie/busconnects-cork/.

The National Rail Network is Failing Rural Ireland

The first in a series of articles about Ireland’s intercity network, its future, and how it can work for everyone in Ireland

Ireland’s intercity network is, simply put, not that great. Both the extent of the network, and consequently, the service provided, are not at the standard of a modern European nation. Indeed, the Irish rail network is not even at the standard of a hundred years ago, when the network stretched from Mizen Head to Malin Head, and even Bantry was only a two hour rail trip away. In the 1950s and 60s, over 4,000km of rail was slashed forever, and what little infrastructure remained non-extensive, and hopelessly Dublin-centric. While there have been a few kernels of gold over the years – recent signalling upgrades being one of them – by and large the network, and the quality of service to rural Ireland has remained incredibly stagnant. 

The rail network in 1920 vs the rail network in the early 2010s… how the mighty have fallen

It is currently the case that massive swathes of the country have no rail service whatsoever. There are major gaps in the network – there is no rail in West Cork, or the entire counties of Donegal, Monaghan, and Cavan – and what rail does exist in some counties is also rather barebones. There are towns that lie on rail lines, such as Buttevant and Annacotty, which trains simply bypass, as they possess no station. It’s no stretch to say that there’s hundreds of towns around the nation who’d give their right arm for a train station with regular service.

There is also significant disconnect with the aims of successive Irish governments in attempting to reinvigorate rural life. For instance, many ‘gateway hubs’ identified in Ireland’s previous National Planning Framework spatial strategy scheme – such as Letterkenny, Cavan and Monaghan Towns, did not possess any rail link, nor any plans to deliver one. Naturally, this lack of connection makes it more difficult to live and work in the country. This effectively serves as one more form of disinvestment in Ireland’s rural areas, and factors into a far greater debate about the prioritization of urban Ireland over rural Ireland, especially the West. In effect, a major public service is denied to many of those living in these regions. Those living in rural areas are forced into car-dependency, and have far fewer options for transport as a result – indeed the cost of owning and maintaining a car is also an issue for those who live in one area and work in another. This also has problems for Ireland’s climate targets, as many in rural Ireland who wish to undertake journeys sustainably are simply unable to.

Even towns and cities that are connected by rail have this Dublin-orientation that inevitably affects their performance. Cork and Wexford are both *technically* connected by rail, yet there is no direct route. What could be a nice, 80 minute coastal jaunt of 140km becomes a far less attractive, five-hour pilgrimmage of Cork-Dublin-Wexford. There is no direct rail service between Cork and Galway, Ireland’s second and third biggest cities. 

The overall lack of connectivity impacts the effectiveness of the intercity rail, and is used for circular reasoning of lack of investment – what is believed to be lack of interest in rail usage is used as justification for not rolling out large railbuilding schemes; whereas in the rare occasion that new services are unveiled, they routinely surpass service expectations, as has been the case for the first phase of the Western Rail Corridor. 

The Benefits of Rail Faoin Tuath

This self-immolative policy is all the stranger when taking into account the benefits that rail can bring to rural towns and regions. Rail can be a cornerstone of a strong strategy – coupled with other infrastructure and placemaking investments – to properly support rural Ireland. Towns and regions that have a rail service become more attractive for investment from businesses, attract more tourism, and become better places to live in. The addition of a regular, reliable rail service is often key to the reinvigoration of declining towns, with the growth and success of towns is often tied to the travel distance between nearby centers. Of course, there is the obvious benefit of simply providing improved transportation links to the resident population.

Rail helps small towns to grow, both economically and population-wise – a major boon when the trend for so many has been the outward movement of young people. Towns and villages with railroad access act as a stronger draw to business. There is also major opportunity to use new station developments as an opportunity to relook at land use as a whole, and couple rail investments with new plazas and cycle paths, to really move away from a car-centric model and move towards one with a lot more consumer choice. Stronger towns also provide benefits for Ireland’s spatial planning – namely getting more jobs and people out of the Dublin Region and into areas that need them most, which can help contribute to a positive feedback loop of regeneration for smaller towns.

The benefits of rail in a post-Covid future are also immense. The rise of working from home, combined with a planned rollout of rural co-working hubs spells massive opportunities for rural and regional towns. Combined with the ability of railway stations to generate development around themselves, known as transit-oriented development – could mean a massive investment in the futures of so many rural towns and villages. Those who were previously city dwellers could instead have the option of living in the countryside, with an easy commuting option for if office meetings become necessary.

Of course, there are also significant benefits for tourism too, which already makes up a large part of the local economy of many smaller towns. One can only imagine what a draw that a ‘Wild Atlantic Way by rail’ would be, especially with the prospects for promotion and funding that the EU’s Interrail scheme would bring.

If you didn’t know any better, this could be Letterkenny Railway Station

The All-Island Rail Strategy

Last week, the Irish and Northern Irish governments launched a combined effort at reviewing the island’s railways. There is a massive opportunity in this, to rectify the past Dublin-centricity of the network itself. So naturally, there’s some major projects which we believe would benefit the network – what we view as less of a wish list, and more of a ‘to-do list’.

First of all, a South-West rail corridor would allow trains to go between Cork, Waterford, Wexford, and Rosslare Europort, a route with renewed importance given the massive post-Brexit uptick in trade at both Rosslare and Cork ports. The group South East on Track has provided excellent analysis of the Wexford-Waterford segment of this route.

One potential alignment of a resurrected Cork-Waterford-Rosslare route

The full reopening of the Western Rail Corridor would be a major boon to the network too, not just for the service it would provide to those living on it, but also by being a key piece of infrastructure for longer intercity journeys. Of course, other notable gaps also need correcting, such as a north-south rail corridor connecting the county of Donegal to both Sligo and Derry, who have been deprived of rail for too long. Other notable areas which lack rail, such as Shannon (and its airport) and Navan are also no-brainers. Other direct train services along existing routes are also needed, such as Cork to Limerick/Galway direct trains, which would certainly up connectivity between the counterbalance to Dublin.  There is also massive potential in bringing railways back to West Cork – so much so that there’ll be another article detailing here in the coming weeks (stay tuned!).

The expectations of usage for railways in Ireland have consistently defied expectations – the Ennis-Galway rail link has passenger numbers above expectations, as have other links on the network. History has proven that if rail service is provided in a reliable, integrated fashion, it will be used. The point of this article isn’t to aimlessly harangue Iarnród Éireann either – when the system works, it works, and Cork to Dublin passenger numbers increase year on year for good reason – and this type of good, effectual service should be accessible to the vast majority of people in Ireland, no matter where they live.