The Government proceeded with plans to reinstate much of the Western Rail Corridor (WRC) despite forecasts that it would attract only 750 passengers per day and could require an annual subvention of up to €10 million,The Irish Times has learned.
The Government also discounted an appraisal by the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) in February 2005 which noted that the WRC's catchment is characterised by low population density with no "critical mass". The RPA also said there was "no formal demand modelling" to underpin the project.
The WRC extends 234km from Sligo to Limerick. The only section to be reopened so far (in 2003) is the 40km stretch between Limerick and Ennis, Co Clare, with eight trains a day. Much of the remainder between Ennis and Collooney, Co Sligo, has been closed since 1976.
Documents released by the Department of Transport under the Freedom of Information Act show that Pat McCann, chairman of the working party set up in 2004 to look at the viability of reopening the rest of the line, initially took a sceptical view of its viability.
In his draft report, dated March 2005, he said: "I have not heard any economic, commercial or social arguments that would justify the complete restoration of the line as one project and I would not support such a proposal." This was omitted from the final report.
Mr McCann, who stepped down last week as chief executive of Jurys Doyle Hotels, said his recommendation for reopening the line was "contingent on the restoration of the WRC being undertaken on a phased basis", with only one section being done at a time.
"It would be prudent to postpone consideration of a second section for restoration until the first section proves to be successful and similarly for the third and fourth sections," his draft report said. This was also omitted from the final version, dated May 2005.
The total cost of reopening the WRC was put at €365.7 million and broken down as follows:
- Ennis to Athenry (58km): €74.7 million (€1.3m per km);
- Athenry to Tuam (25km): €34.7 million (€1.4m per km);
- Tuam to Claremorris (27km): €58.9 million (€2.2m per km);
- Claremorris to Collooney (74km): €197.4 million (€2.6m per km).
The latter section was built originally in 1891-2 as a light railway, with no less than 290 level crossings along its route.
Mr McCann said: "It is clear that this section would be extremely expensive to restore. It accounts for 54 per cent of the restoration costs of the entire line.
"Expenditure of this order would be very difficult to justify and I have to say that the case for its restoration, as things stand, is weak," his report said bluntly. He was also "not convinced" that Knock shrine and Knock airport would have a major positive impact on its viability.
Mr McCann was more upbeat about reopening the line between Ennis and Athenry. "This section would appear to be one of the more viable as things stand and I am recommending that a full feasibility study be undertaken on the section with a view to reopening it," he said.
"I am also recommending that, following the successful introduction of commuter services on the [ existing] Athenry-Galway section, the prospects for extending Galway rail commuter services to Tuam should then be examined," according to both versions of his report.
The earlier draft said the feasibility of extending the line to Claremorris should be considered "in the medium to longer term" if the section to Tuam is restored, while the final version noted that this would link the WRC with the Mayo "hubs" of Castlebar, Westport and Ballina.
The draft report also mentioned that rail freight might make a "marginal" difference to the viability of the Tuam-Claremorris section of line and recommended a "thoroughgoing study" to quantify the potential for rail freight in the region "before a decision is made".
In the final version of his report presented to Minister for Transport Martin Cullen in May 2005, Mr McCann added a paragraph to the conclusion suggesting that connections to Knock and Shannon airports "could add significantly to the economics of the line".
Asked by The Irish Times if these amendments were made at the behest of the Department of Transport, Mr McCann said: "That's not the case at all. The final version was done in conjunction with the working group itself, and the department had no hand in it." He acknowledged that he "couldn't see anything in it" when he was first appointed as chairman of the working party and only came round to the view that the WRC could be reinstated in phases after a lot of discussions with the West on Track group and others.
Asked if he was happy that the Transport 21 package included a phased reinstatement of the WRC from Athenry to Claremorris, with the remainder of the line to be "protected", Mr McCann said: "That was their decision. I felt it would happen at some point."
