Cork commuter rail service delayed

Political Reporter

Plans for the long-awaited Horgan’s Quay site cannot be finalised until CIE knows if two new commuter lines to Midleton and Kilbarry will be built through it, a company spokesman said.

“We cannot draw up final plans until we know how many railway lines are going to be running through our docklands site,” the CIE spokesman added.

Cork Chamber of Commerce called on Iarnród Eireann yesterday to state if the two new commuter lines were getting the go-ahead because the entire Cork Area Strategic Plan also hinges on the opening of these routes.

“We have been trying to get a meeting with the company for the past six months to see if they will give the go-ahead for the commuter lines that have been backed by their own consultants’ report, and Transport Minister Seamus Brennan,” Cork Chamber of Commerce president Robin O’Sullivan said.

Mr O’Sullivan called on the company to make an immediate decision on the two commuter lines that are vital to the planned residential and commercial development of the city and the progression of the Horgan’s Quay development.

But no decision will be made on the Midleton and Kilbarry commuter lines until before Christmas, an Iarnród Eireann spokesman said. “We are having discussions with the Department of Transport officials to prioritise our investment plan for the next five years and this should be finalised by Christmas,” the spokesman added.

Meanwhile, Cork North Central Deputy Noel O’Flynn called on CIE to come clean and give an exact time scale for the development of the Horgan’s Quay site. Mr O’Flynn said he had a meeting with CIE chairman John Lynch earlier this year who promised him. a concrete planning application for the development of their Horgan’s Quay site would be submitted to Cork City Council by October.

“I am asking the CIE chairman to clarify if that is the case because the people of Cork have been waiting almost 10 years for this project to get off the ground,” Mr O’Flynn added. Mr Lynch said in a statement that it will take three years to complete the development of their site at Horgan’s Quay, and the refurbishment of the Bus Station at Camden Quay.

“The company hopes to submit a planning application to the Cork City Council before the end of the year, once we know how many railway lines will be running through the Horgan’s Quay site,” the CIE spokesman said.

Mr O’Flynn said it was an awful disgrace that the planning application would not be submitted by October. “I will be asking the Oireachtas Transport Committee to call in CIE executives to explain this delay,” he added.

On the refurbishment of the Bus Station, CIE said money has been allocated for the project this year and they are currently in discussion with a contractor. It is hoped the project will be completed in time for the European City of Culture in 2005.