1 / 46

The Western Rail Corridor

The Western Rail Corridor. THE SLIGO - LIMERICK RAILWAY. An Economic and Social Asset. Presentation to Border Midlands & Western Regional Assembly Conference Shaping the Region FRANK DAWSON Director of Community & Enterprise Galway County Council 4th March 2004. Context.

tarak
Download Presentation

The Western Rail Corridor

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Western Rail Corridor THE SLIGO - LIMERICK RAILWAY An Economic and Social Asset Presentation to Border Midlands & Western Regional Assembly Conference Shaping the Region FRANK DAWSON Director of Community & Enterprise Galway County Council 4th March 2004

  2. Context The Minister for Transport announced the establishment of a Joint Working Group on 13th February to; • Pro-actively exhaust every avenue of assessment in a driven and focused fashion and • Bring forward proposals which are achievable

  3. Context within the The National Development Plan (NDP) • Within the NDP, the Economic & Social Infrastructure Programme has provided a budget of €6.74bn for National Roads and €3.05bn for PUBLIC TRANSPORT. • It is proposed that the Western Rail Corridor will be financed from the PUBLIC TRANSPORT budget.

  4. NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN PROVISION FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT 2000-2006 ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE OPERATIONAL PROGRAMME DUBLIN €2073m (67%) South and East €501m (17%) Border Midlands West €477m (16%) Total NDP Public Transport €3051m

  5. PLANNED PUBLIC TRANSPORT EXPENDITURE 2000-2006 compared to MID-TERM ACTUAL EXPENDITURE

  6. PLANNED PUBLIC TRANSPORT EXPENDITURE 2000-2006 compared to MID-TERM ACTUAL EXPENDITURE PLANNED PUBLIC TRANSPORT EXPENDITURE 2000-2006 compared to MID-TERM ACTUAL EXPENDITURE BMW €155 m spent plus €90m projected South & East € 1,315m spent plus €4,469m projected

  7. EXPENDITURE TRENDS IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT2000-2002 €m Total Spend to 30/06/03 S&E € 1497 million(90%) BMW € 168 million(10%)

  8. In a nutshell during the first 3 years of the National Development Plan the proportional spend on Public Transport between the South & East Region and the BMW Region is €1315m against €155m €m 90% of Spend for 74% of Population 10% of Spend for 26% of Population

  9. “The estimated benefits relate to significant increases in suburban rail capacity in Dublin and improvements in Dublin-Cork Intercity. .......................................................................... Current committed investment made in 2003 and 2004 will yield significant improvements, mostly in the Greater Dublin Area” (INDECON Mid Term Review)

  10. COMMITTED PROJECTS Phase 1 • South/East BMW • 40 DART CARS 80 ? • 80 COMMUTER RAILCARS 115 ? • NEW RAILCAR DEPOT 43 ? • & KILDARE ROUTE (Phase1) 5 ? • 67 INTERCITY CARRIAGES 117 ? • FINAL PART OF SAFETY PROG. 120 ? (40) • HEUSTON STATION 117 ? • NEW EAST WALL ROAD BRIDGE 20 ? • SIGNAL UPGRADES ? ? • TOTAL €620m • DASH 1 (Part 1 of* €170m programme) € 170* ? €790m • The estimated benefits relate to significant increases in suburban rail capacity in Dublin and improvements in Dublin-Cork Intercity (INDECON)

  11. DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS PHASE 2/3 • €769m • “further increase suburban commuter capacity and services between Dublin and Cork”. (INDECON) • DASH Phase 2 • NEW STATION TARA STREET • LONGER DART PLATFORMS • NEW STATIONS SPENCER DOCK, LEIXLIP LOUISA BRIDGE, CLONTARF ROAD, KILCOCK, GRAND CANAL DOCK, MONASTERAVIN, HOWTH JUNCTION, BAYSIDE, GRANGE ROAD• COASTAL DEFENCES• 2500 PARKING SPACES• STORAGE SIDINGS• INCREASED DART POWER SUPPLY• RAILCAR STORAGE SIDINGS• RESIGNALLING CITY CENTRE • KILDARE PROJECT • QUADRUPLING TRACKS• NEW STATIONS PELLETSTOWN & ADAMSTOWN• GREATER DUBLIN 8-COACH PLATFORMS • INTERCITY CAPACITY INCREASES • MOBILITY AT SOME STATIONS• 13 EXTRA S&E TRAINS; 8 EXTRA BMW TRAINS

  12. WHAT ARE IARNROD EIREANN PLANS? Integrated Rail Network Plan for Dublin 2004/2010 Investment of €3,000m being considered Commuter Service from almost all towns within 100Km of Dublin PLUS Already Committed Projects €790m Development Projects €769m IARNROD EIREANN PROPOSE €4,469m for S/E and €90m for BMW between 2004 and 2010

  13. 1559m out of ESIOP balance of €1581 appears already committed Based on projections drawn from the findings of the INDECON Mid Term Evaluation of the Economic and Social Infrastructure Operational Programme the BMW will receive €205 to €245m during the course of the NDP rather than the €477m projected. The BMW may suffer a shortfall in Public Transport Investment of € 232 to € 272m The BMW may suffer a shortfall in Public Transport Investment of € 232 to € 272m

  14. WHAT IS THE WESTERN RAIL CORRIDOR? • The Western Rail Corridor is the 147 mile-long railway linking Sligo to Limerick • via Mayo, Galway and Clare. • It intersects Dublin radial routes at • Collooney in Sligo • Claremorris in Mayo • Athenry in Galway and • Limerick with connections to Tipperary,Waterford, and Rosslare Europort, Cork and Kerry.

  15. There are 3 critical groups promoting the strategy • 1. LOCAL GOVERNMENT The Western Inter-County Railway Committee. • 2. STATUTORY BODIES Border Midlands West Regional Assembly Regional Authorities Western Development Commission County/City Development Boards • 3. COMMUNITY West=On =Track /Community Fora

  16. THE WESTERN INTER-COUNTY RAILWAY COMMITTEE • Established by RDOs almost 30 years ago • Comprises Elected Representatives from Sligo;Leitrim;Mayo;Roscommon;Galway: • Published a Social Study (Maynooth) • Published an Economic Study (NUIGalway) • Halted abandonment by CIE in 1985 • Preserved the route in public ownership

  17. 13 County & City Development Board Strategies for Economic Social and Cultural Development resolved collectively • to pursue the development of the Western Rail Corridor project to re-open the Sligo to Limerick rail line for inter-city passenger, commuter and freight services” National Rural Development Policy specifically states the CDB process is the most appropriate co-ordination and delivery mechanism to ensure effective local transport provision in its area. Endorsed by Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Galway County, Galway City, Clare, Limerick County, Limerick City, Cork County, Cork City, Kerry.

  18. WEST=ON=TRACK • Community - based campaign to • (a) support local elected representatives and the Minister for Transport in their ambition to see the Western Rail Corridor re-opened to passenger and freight traffic. • (b) co-ordinate community support • (c) work in co-operation with statutory agencies • (d) Petitions;Postcards; Car-Stickers; 2004 Calender • (e) National An Taisce Award Winning Project 2003 • (f) Viability Study completed for Minister for Transport

  19. West On Track Report January 2004 • PROJECT COSTINGS AND FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS • There is a 114 mile long state-owned railway linking Sligo with Ennis – lying idle. • This Railway serves 14 West of Ireland towns, including 3 Gateways and 4 Hubs • There is a a 480,000 catchment population projected to grow to 620,000 by 2016 • 229,000 at work; 55,000 students;; 270,000 hospital visits; plus 2.5 million Tourists • THE COST OF THE FULL WDC IS €250m or 2.5 miles Metro/ 5 miles LUAS /50% M50 Upgrade • Passenger Projections are for c.500,000 Inter-regional & 300,000 Commuters per annum • 25,000 cars per day use the Tuam-Galway road • PROJECTED REVENUE WILL MORE THAN COVER RUNNING COSTS • The National Development Plan set aside €477m for public transport in BMW region • Less than €170m is spent to date there are no proposals currently to spend the balance • In the South & East region NDP set aside €2574m for public transport • €1500 has been spent to date and plans are published for the full balance of spending. • There is a national policy of balanced regional development • The National Spatial strategy advocates a public transport corridor on the path of the WRC • WDC: Jobs for Towns Report finds that all local authorities in West Region support the WRC • WDC CONFIRMS SUPPORTING LAND USE AND SETTLEMENT STRATEGIES ARE IN PLACE • 100,000 have committed their support for the project. • THE MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT HAS ESTABLISHED A JOINT WORKING GROUP TO ADVANCE THE PROJECT.

  20. Formal Reports and Submissions completed • REPORT 1. The Sligo Limerick Railway NUI Maynooth (1981) • REPORT 2. Sligo/Limerick/Rosslare Rail Link NUI Galway (1992) • REPORT 3. WestOnTrack PROJECT COSTINGS & FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS (2004) • REPORT 4. Strategic Rail Review (Recommendations on WRC rejected by Min.) • Submission 1. NATIONAL SPATIAL STRATEGY • Submission 2. STRATEGIC RAIL REVIEW • Submission 3. NDP MID-TERM REVIEW (INDECON) • Submission 4. JOINT OIREACTAS COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT • Submission 5. WDC REGIONAL STRATEGY (Jobs for Towns) • Submission 6. REGIONAL STRATEGIES & REGIONAL PLANNING GUIDELINES • Participation Training Programme by International Consultants on Feasibility Studies

  21. What is being sought? • A commitment to re-open the entire Corridor from Sligo to Limerick, in phases, within a specific timeframe. • A commitment to specify the incremental phases against the specific timeframe. • An instruction to Iarnrod Eireann to programme the work within the current BMW provision in the Nat.Dev.Plan. • Establishment of a statutory framework for local participation in overseeing the operation of public transport services on the Corridor.

  22. The Rail Passengers Council is the statutory consumer organisation representing the interests of rail users nationally. It investigates and monitors the policies and performance of train and station operators and has the legal right to make recommendations for changes. Rail Passengers Council The Rail Passengers Council and Committees are the voice of rail passengers and have been set up by Government to protect passengers’ interests. The Rail Passengers Council and Committees deal with the issues which really matter to passengers, such as: • punctuality and cancellations • cleanliness • timetables • fares and ticket types • capacity and overcrowding • quality and design of trains • access to the network for everyone • promoting integrated transport • facilities for passengers with disabilities • buying tickets and ticket inspection • facilities at stations • information at stations, on trains or by telephone • proposals for change which affect passengers • safety and security

  23. Why Now? • National Spatial Strategy • National Development Plan • Congestion • Environmental Needs • Integrated Transport Trends • The route is entirely in public ownership • Modern Trains and Work Practices are competitive • Recent proven ability of Iarnrod Eireann to build railways • Growing dependency on cars

  24. “THE ECONOMIC ARGUMENT” 1. • 30,000 cars enter Galway City each day • that is 60,000 individual journeys • 15 minutes delay through congestion on each journey consumes 15,000 hours each day • @ €20 (a modest sum) per hour this costs the Galway economy €300,000 per day or €1.8m per week or €93.6m per year • and that is just Galway! • What is congestion and poor freight provision costing Sligo;Mayo; Galway;Ennis;Limerick cumulatively? • What is the effect on the competitiveness of the West?

  25. “THE ECONOMIC ARGUMENT” 2. • WHAT ARE THE RUNNING COSTS ? • One - person stations where teleworking can take place • Commercial development at Stations • Automated ticketing as part of national system • One - Person - Operation - now common practice in Ireland • A new railway is less costly to maintain • existing Signal Operators control all new train movements • Rolling Stock maintenance a part of the maintenance programme of the national fleet • 25% fuel consumption, railcar v. loco-hauled train • Zero Manual level crossings.

  26. “THE ECONOMIC ARGUMENT”3. • Sligo-Galway-Limerick & Tuam –Ballyglunin – Athenry – Oranmore • Running Costs 4.524m • Projected Income 4.883m • Athlone Commuter & Oranmore Shuttles • Running Costs 1.005m • Projected Income 1.203m Source: West On Track Report January 2004

  27. “THE ECONOMIC ARGUMENT”4. First Phase; (62miles) Stage 1.Claremorris – Charlestown (Intercity) €34.7m Tuam –Athenry (Commuter&Intercity) €16.3m Oranmore – Galway (Commuter&Intercity) €12.0m Stage 2. Claremorris – Tuam (Intercity&Commuter) €28.0m €91.0m Through Freight Mayo-Galway- Limerick-South Second Phase; (68 miles) Charlestown – Collooney (Commuter& Intercity) €35.1m Athenry – Ennis (Intercity & Commuter) €35.6m 2nd Track Athenry–Oranmore (Commuter&Intercity) € 9.0m €79.7m Through Freight Sligo–Mayo-Galway-Limerick-South Mini-CTC signalling. €49.0m TOTAL INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS €220.0m • First Phase; (62miles) • Stage 1.Claremorris – Charlestown (Intercity) €34.7m • Tuam –Athenry (Commuter&Intercity) €16.3m • Oranmore – Galway (Commuter&Intercity) €12.0m • Stage 2. Claremorris – Tuam (Intercity&Commuter) €28.0m €91.0m • Through Freight Mayo-Galway- Limerick-South • Second Phase; (68 miles) • Charlestown – Collooney (Commuter& Intercity) €35.1m Athenry – Ennis (Intercity & Commuter) €35.6m 2nd Track Athenry–Oranmore (Commuter&Intercity) € 9.0m €79.7m Through Freight Sligo–Mayo-Galway-Limerick-South Mini-CTC signalling. €49.0m TOTAL INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS €220.0m

  28. An Insight into “THE ECONOMIC ARGUMENT”4. • Stage 1 Detail • Commuter Service Capital Cost Running Cost p/a Projected Revenue • at 50% Capacity • Tuam-Galway 16m 1.170m 1.555m • Athlone-Galway& • Oranmore Shuttle 12 – 21m* 1.005m 1.203m • *12m for Double track Galway –Oranmore or 21m for double track Galway - Athenry • Peak Hour 07.30 – 10.00 capacities of 3 two-car trains; • Oranmore-Galway 1200 includes standing • Tuam-Galway 248 seated • Athlone-Galway seated 124 seated

  29. Weekday passenger projections, on which revenue projections are based. Daily Arrival/ Departures • Sligo 171 Ballyglunin 90 Woodlawn 20 • Collooney 15 Athenry 175 Attymon 15 • Tubbercurry 33 Craughwell 6 • Charlestown 51 Ardrahan 6 • Swinford 12 Gort 35 • Kiltimagh 12 Ennis 40 • Claremorris 60 Oranmore 939 • Ballindine 16 Galway Sth 250 • Milltown 22 Athlone 58 • Tuam 256 Ballinasloe 55 TOTALS: Intercity 1363 Commuter 924 2287 Sunday Income Not Included Source: West On Track Report January 2004

  30. NATIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF COMMUTER TRAINS IN IRELAND Greater Dublin population 2,000,000 Western Development Commission Area 700,000 158 -166 -2 Proposed by Iarnrod Eireann...................... 158 -166 -17 TODAY / OUR REQUEST FOR TOMORROW?

  31. 7 pairs of railcars such as these will provide • 1 Longford-Sligo Commuter Service • 3 Sligo-Galway Services • 2 Tuam-Galway Commuter Services • 4 Galway-Limerick Services • 1 Midlands-Galway Conmmuter Service • 18 Oranmore Galway Schuttle Services 15 Railcars are included in the Western Rail Corridor costings 318 Railcars (DART and ARROW) are currently programmed for Dublin

  32. COMPARITIVE CONSTRUCTION COSTS PER MILE€m

  33. CONSENSUS ON ESTIMATED CAPITAL COSTS OF WESTERN RAIL CORRIDOR The West on Track Report confirms Mr. Meaghers’ estimate. €20m has been spent by IE already on the Limerick-Ennis section while €80m is projected by West On Track as the cost of the Ennis-Claremorris section.

  34. DANGER SIGNALS MID TERM REVIEW states: “Investments in marginal and non-economic routes are hard to justify unless it is felt that loss-making railways are important to helping the development of under-developed parts of the country in line with the objectives of balanced regional development. ……………… We are not convinced that rail investment ought to be the priority approach for assisting development in the BMW region.” Indecon 2003

  35. TRAIN FARES BMW compared to SOUTH & EAST • DAY RETURN KILOMETRES MON-THURS-SAT FRI-SUN • ROUND TRIP • BORDER MIDLANDS WESTERN REGION • GALWAY – ATHENRY 42 €8.50 €11.50 • SLIGO – BALLYMOTE 48 €7.50 €11.00 • CLAREMORRIS–CASTLEREA 74 €9.00 €14.00 • SOUTH & EAST REGION • BRAY – LANSDOWNE ROAD 44 €3.70 €3.70 • MAYNOOTH – DUBLIN 52 €4.60 €4.60 • BALBRIGGAN – DUBLIN 70 €6.10 €6.10 You pay a lot more to let the train take the strain in the BMW

  36. ERDF SPEND ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT 2000-Mid 2003 “for the development of regions whose economy and infrastructure is lagging behind the EU average”DUBLIN/SOUTH & EAST v. BORDER MIDLANDS WEST €m SOURCE: NATIONAL MONITORING COMMITTEE

  37. Persons Travelling over 15 miles to WorkSource CSO 2002 Census • Dublin 35,000 • Sligo 4,566 • Mayo 8,561 • Galway 17,896 • Clare 9,669 40,692

  38. 58,000 people travel over 30 miles to work in the South and East Region 35,000 people travel over 30 miles to work in the Border Midlands and Western Region

  39. Car as Means of Travel to Work WRC/DublinSource CSO Census 2002

  40. 25,000 CARS USE THE N17 DAILY MAKING IT THE BUSIEST SINGLE CARRIAGWAY WEST OF THE SHANNON

  41. WRC JOURNEY TIMES • TIME RAIL BUS • SLIGO-CLAREMORRIS 1:05mins 53miles 1:35 • SLIGO-GALWAY 2:20 99 2:30 • SLIGO-LIMERICK 3:22 146 4:30 • CLAREMORRIS-GALWAY 1:15 46 1:15 • CLAREMORRIS-LIMERICK 2:17 93 3:30 • TUAM-GALWAY 0:45 29 0:35 • ORANMORE-GALWAY 0:10 6 0:10 • GALWAY-LIMERICK 1:35 73 2:00

  42. THANKS TO THE INDECON MID-TERM REVIEW WE NOW KNOW WHERE THE RESOURCES ARE TO FUND THE WESTERN RAIL CORRIDOR! THERE IS A BALANCE OF €322m DUE TO THE BMW REGION. €73 other BMW Transport Projects WESTERN RAIL CORRIDOR €249 PROMISED by 2006 €477 SPENT TO DATE €155 PROMISED BY 2003 €303

  43. DRAFT REGIONAL PLANNING GUIDELINESpublished March 2004 www.galway.ie • The West Regional Authority has recommended the re-opening of the Western Rail Corridor from Galway to Charlestown (Knock International) over the next five years. • The Authority has found, following a re-assessment, that the project is shown to have a positive Net Present Value (NPV) and >1 Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR)

  44. Conclusion • Innovative approaches can be introduced in managing new services on the Western Rail Corridor through community/local authority collaboration subject to the goodwill and co-operation of Iarnrod Eireann. • The Western Rail Corridor is already supported by complementary land use and settlement strategies. • Local authorities understand the prerequisits that need to be put in place before the viability of a rail proposal can be tested. • Evidence of local authority complience can be found in our County Development Plans and in the Draft Regional Planning Guidelines now on public display. • It is quite evident that local government has neither influence or control over Iarnrod Eireann. Needless to say County and City Development Boards would like that situation to change. • The introduction of a formal partnership approach, under the County and City Development Board process, as provided for in the 1981 Local Government Act, would address this obstacle to co-ordination, and facilitate the integration of our rail system into community based public transport solutions.

  45. THE END Or is the beginning?..............

More Related