Tourism ‘key’ to Nenagh rail line’s survival

A GROUP committed to keeping open a railway that many believe was under imminent threat of closure has now identified tourism as key to the line’s survival.

Nenagh Rail Partnership has been working for some years to ensure the future of the Ballybrophy to Limerick line.

All seemed assured when Irish Rail inaugurated a new Nenagh-Limerick commuter service in 2008.

However, the route of the M7 Motorway, completed last year, closely parallels the railway line and offers Nenagh to Limerick journey times of below 30 minutes —while it currently takes about 50 minutes by rail.

Since the opening of the motorway, the rail commuter service has been badly supported and, on some occasions, there were reportedly no passengers for the final stage of the journey from Birdhill to Nenagh.

Irish Rail are presently upgrading the line so as to reduce the Nenagh to Limerick journey time by six minutes, but it remains unlikely that funds will become available for a full upgrade.

According to Don Cunningham, director of new works at Irish Rail: “The Ballybrophy line currently needs €25 million to increase speeds on a 31-mile section but only €3m is presently available.”

Nenagh Rail Partnership now sees tourism as the salvation of the line. It recently organised a conference to examine ways of increasing the popularity of the line.

Addressing the conference, Jim Deegan from Railtours Ireland said there was a serious need to make the line relevant to the communities along it. “Time is critical — if local people don’t support it they will lose it” he said.