A RAILWAY from Sligo to
Donegal and Derry would create tourism revenues of
around €20m, according to a local TD.
Donegal North East TD Joe McHugh was quoting from a
new report by transport researcher Brian Guckian who
cited the benefits of bringing the North West into a
'round Ireland' rail network.
"Plans must be drawn up to link Letterkenny with a
high speed rail link to Derry’s airport. Council
officials expect Letterkenny to experience
significant population growth over the next few
years, reaching 50,000 by 2020," said Deputy McHugh.
“Work on a rail link should be done in tandem with
major road projects such as plans for a motorway to
Letterkenny.
“Each local authority should appoint a director of
services or a senior official to work with the
county manager to co-ordinate major cross-border
infrastructure plans in the border counties which
must include a Derry to Sligo rail route linking in
with the Western Rail Corridor."
The Fine Gael deputy said the authorities should
seize the opportunity for the more cost-efficient
mode of transport.
“With rail costing a tenth of the cost per mile of a
motorway, the need to take freight off increasingly
congested roads and the environmental benefits of
reducing traffic, prioritising the rail link is
essential. It would help Letterkenny to grow in to a
city and would help Donegal improve performance in
tourism and general economic terms. “Attractions
like the Giant’s Causeway are busy with tourists in
February, yet in July parts of Donegal are empty of
tourists.
"So if you had a significant piece of infrastructure
like a railway link to Letterkenny from Derry and on
to the West, it would facilitate an all-Ireland
tourism agenda," he added. |
