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Re-Instatement Of Long-Awaited Westmeath Train Route Included In Final Rail Review

Wednesday, 31 July 2024 09:32

The report has outlined 32 recommendations up to 2050.

The re-instating of a long-campaigned-for Westmeath train route is among the final recommendations of the All-Island Strategic Rail Review.

The joint report by Department of Transport in Ireland and the Department for Infrastructure in the North sets out the implementation of 32 strategic recommendations up to 2050, at the cost of between 35 and €37 billion.

The long-awaited Athlone to Mullingar route is among the suggestions of the review, which would come as part of a service to Portadown.

The report says the route would address a number of regional connectivity gaps.

It also suggests increasing capacity on the Mullingar to Dublin service.

A new alignment between Portarlington and Hazelhatch is being recommended, which would avoid the Curragh and include a spur to the Waterford line.

The report says this service would be shorter and could deliver faster journeys on a railway expected to be increasingly busy.

It also recommends new 200kmh intercity trains and would see the rail network increase from around 2,300km to almost 3,000km.

Transport Minister, Eamon Ryan, says the review outlines the future of rail:

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