From July 1st this year there will be five weekly return services between Mayo and Waterford.
These will comprise 2 XPO Logistics trains from Ballina Inland Port to the Port of Waterford; two Coillte Pulpwood trains from Ballina and one Coillte Pulpwood train from Westport.
These trains will displace 3 million truck kilometres per annum.
The trains will be forced to follow a rail route through the Greater Dublin Area due to the Claremorris-Athenry section of the Atlantic Railway Corridor being ‘out of use’ currently.
The renewal of this section as proposed by various statutory, business and community groups will provide not only an intercity passenger railway between Mayo, Galway and the South but also a more direct and less congested route for these and increased numbers of freight trains – that is 60 kms shorter per round trip than that via the Greater Dublin Area.
The shorter Atlantic Railway Corridor route will save the businesses chartering these trains almost €100,000 annually in lower Track Access Charges, be considerably more environmentally sustainable, displace 3 million truck kms annually and contribute almost €1m in track Access Charges to Iarnrod Eireann annually which will contribute towards the maintenance of the route.
In Summary:
The Atlantic Railway Corridor will
- Save 15,600 kms in shorter rail trips annually than via the Greater Dublin Area
- Save logistics companies €80,000 annually in less Track access Charges
- Save 10,000 gallons of locomotive fuel annually
- Save journey hours per trip due to congestion on current via GDA route
- Generate €850,000 in Track Access Charges for Iarnrod Eireann annually
- Displace 3 million truck kilometres annually
- Eliminate hour-long locomotive run-round of freight trains twice daily in Kildare
- Introduce the opportunity for new freight trains serving Galway – Clare-Limerick and Tipperary
- Provide a direct rail route from Mayo to the new rail-served Port of Shannon Foynes