A new report says there is almost certainly a strong business case for the restoration of the 74.5 kilometre railway line from Claremorris in County Mayo to Collooney in County Sligo.
The conclusion is in a new 210-page report by economist Dr John Bradley who examined the reopening of the railway from Athenry, Co. Galway to Claremorris as part of the wider Atlantic Ralway Corridor at a cost of €154m.
Dr Bradley's report finds that the rail link could be restored for less than half of what was predicted in a previous report, known as the EY Report, published last January on behalf of Iarnrod Eireann and the Department of Transport,
That EY report has been severely criticised by campaigners for the restoration of the Western Rail Corridor.
Peter Bowen Walsh from Collooney in County Sligo is a spokesman for West on Track, a community-based campaign for the re-opening the passenger and freight line between Limerick and Sligo and, eventually extending northward to Donegal and Derry.
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Mr Bowen Walsh outlined the main differences between the EY Report and the report published now from Dr Bradley.
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He also explained what all this means for areas such as Collooney and Sligo.
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