Optimism over reopening of Killucan station

Optimism is growing in east Westmeath over the potential reopening of Killucan train station, which last served passengers in 1963.

Its potential to fulfil public transport demands in the region was discussed at a meeting between Westmeath County Council members, the National Transport Authority (NTA), Irish Rail and Bus Éireann on November 7.

Cllr Denis Leonard, chairperson of the Killucan Station Action Group (KSAG), said the various transport authorities were open to the idea of reopening the station.

One strong argument was that the distance between stations in Mullingar and Enfield is one of the longest stretches on Irish rail lines without a stop.

The almost 40km section on the Sligo Dublin line needs a station to service a population whose public transport needs have been overlooked, according to Cllr Leonard.

“If you go down the Limerick line or the Galway line, there’s a station every 12 miles or so, but not here,” he said.

“At the transport meeting Irish Rail said ‘Absolutely, this is something that we are examining, we’re coming open minded and we’re getting a study done’.

“They said ‘We’re looking at an option of opening a station in this region due to the volume of commuters here’.”

Irish Rail confirmed in November that a feasibility study into the reopening of Killucan Train Station had begun.

Cllr Leonard said that towns such as Killucan, Rochfortbridge and Kinnegad are “crying out” for public transport.

He said there are huge numbers commuting from those towns to work in Mullingar or Dublin, particularly Kinnegad, where he estimates 50% of the population commute.

“Something needs to happen in east Westmeath, there’s not enough public transport here at the moment and everyone is agreed on that,” said Cllr Leonard.

“The population has increased from 500 to 3,000 in Kinnegad and 400 to 1,600 in Killucan over the last 20 years.

“The majority of that population increase has been people who moved out of Dublin because of house prices, but they’re still going back in, to work.”

One issue that needs to be resolved before the station can be opened is the overcrowding on Dublin-bound commuter trains travelling through Mullingar.

Cllr Leonard made the point that the line is already at capacity and can’t cater for more passengers.

Irish Rail confirmed, however, that some of the 41 new carriages they have recently procured will be on the Sligo Dublin line by the summer of 2024.

Ground was also made in terms of improving bus services in Westmeath, according to Cllr Leonard.

“Bus Éireann have agreed to increase their 115-bus route service, which goes through Mullingar and Kinnegad on the way to Dublin,” he said.

“They’ve agreed to increase morning and evening services on that route, which was a major win from the meeting.

“There used to be one bus an hour to Dublin, from the early 2000s, but over the years the service has reduced. Thankfully we may now be turning over a new leaf.”

Cllr Leonard said “major commitment” was given to extending a segregated bus lane on the M4 to as far as Kilcock.

“It’s massive news for people getting the bus to Dublin in the mornings because they used to have to sit in traffic in Kilcock and Leixlip for about a half hour before the segregated lane begins.”

The Labour councillor added that climate change also demands more public transport is needed in the region to reduce transport emissions.