Two and a half years ago the Iarnród Éireann Director of Commercial Business Units announced that a new rail freight yard was to be constructed at Castlebar in County Mayo. This was to facilitate demand from the local manufacturing industry which considered that they could fill a daily freight train with goods for export. This included healthcare products.
The announcement was widely welcomed by local industries who provide employment and a local road haulier also sought to become involved in the scheme. Local Senator Paddy Burke had been lobbying for the new facility to be built during the preceding year.
At present, local manufacturers in Castlebar who wish to use the ‘greener’ option of rail have to transport containers around 23 miles to the rail freight terminal at Ballina. Transporting containers this distance to access trains not only negates the carbon saving, but also increases transportation costs. Road freight haulage is currently suffering from a national shortage of HGV drivers so use of rail makes sense from that perspective also. Iarnród Éireann currently have freight wagons that could be used on new services from Castlebar. They have also a new modern fleet of freight wagons on order that are capable of higher speeds.
Castlebar, around 11 miles east of Westport, is situated on the main rail route between Dublin and Mayo. Approval has recently been given for the Mayo line to be re-linked to the so called ‘Western Rail Corridor’ that would re-open the Claremorris to Athenry direct railway and provide a link on to Limerick and Waterford Port for freight services carrying valuable exports. This would also link at Limerick to the newly rebuilt link to Foynes deep water port. The Claremorris to Athenry line should be ready for trains by 2030.
So why the delay? It seems from examination of the Mayo County Council Planning portal that there doesn’t even appear to have been a planning application submitted yet. The facility could be quite simple with just a loop off the main line and a hardstanding for containers. These days loading is generally achieved using a reach-stacker.
If Ireland and Iarnród Éireann are serious about reducing carbon emissions then why has there been no apparent progress on this proposal? Tim Casterton