Brakes could be put on trains

By
Bernie English
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rp_irishrail.jpg[email protected]

TWO Limerick rail routes could be discontinued leaving only inter city services operating from Colbert Station.

According to a report delivered this week to Transport Minister Shane Ross, Iarnród Éireann will have to take drastic action if it is not face insolvency.

Funding shortages have left the rail networks needing a €600 million investment over the next five years.

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Unless additional Government funding is forthcoming, the report warns that large parts of the rail network will have to close with only the Limerick to Dublin route likely to escape. The Limerick to Ballybrophy and Limerick Junction to Waterford services are most at risk.The review, compiled by the National Transport Authority in co-operation with Iarnród Éireann, says the company incurred accumulated losses of €150 million between 2007 and 2015 despite delivering €76 million in savings in the same period.It also warns that journey times across the inter-city network could increase by ten minutes every year because of underinvestment. 

While safety will continue to be managed, safety standards will be compromised due to the deferral of investment in safety-critical systems that require a greater level of human interventions.

“Failure to upgrade the control and communications system could, as has been the case elsewhere, expose Iarnród Éireann to the unacceptable risk of serious collisions on single lines,” the report states.

The  National Transport Authority has said that no rail lines will be closed without full public consultation.

There was no comment from Iarnród Eireann at time of going to press.

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