Nothing on the line for Killucan

A prediction that the All-Ireland Strategic Rail Review promises of a raft of rail improvements intended to benefit Mullingar will never happen was made by a disillusioned Cllr Denis Leonard, at a meeting of the Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District.

The Labour councillor was reacting to the Iarnród Éireann report that opted against recommending the re-opening of the railway station at Killucan.

“I think, unless Killucan station happens, the Mullingar to Athlone line will never open, you will never have a double track between Dublin and Mullingar, and you will never have the train to Cavan and everything else that is contained in the Strategic Rail Review. Why? Because Irish Rail basically do not want to do it, and this study is proof of it,” he said.

Cllr Leonard had a motion on the agenda proposing that the district actively seek the support of the full council and the Transport SPC to seek an immediate meeting with the NTA and Irish Rail regarding the reopening of Killucan Station and the Mullingar to Athlone line.

“What I’m asking is that we would support a drive to go to the Transport SPC, go to the full council and look for three things: a business case to be put forward from this council for the re-opening of Killucan station; a real timeline for the Mullingar to Athlone line re-opening that’s actually achievable; and a timeline for the double track between Dublin and Mullingar.

“All three are vital and I think if we’re going to do this, we need to do it in such a way where this council shows a united front, all 20 of us,” he said.

Cllr Leonard took issue with the boundary of the area used in the study examining the feasibility of re-opening Killucan station, stating that it had not factored in potential commuters from Castlepollard, Delvin, Rochfortbridge or Milltownpass.

A second issue was, he said, that the study pitched the cost of reopening Killucan at €10 million, when, in fact, it would be just half of that because 50 per cent of the money would be coming from the BMW region.

He also claimed the study managed to conclude that being on a bus for 2 hours and 20 minutes from Mullingar to Dublin was somehow better than being on a train that took 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Cllr Leonard asked how anyone could have confidence in the NTA, Iarnród Éireann or Bus Éireann, which he said do “absolutely nothing” for Westmeath.

“I’m sorry if I appear a bit cynical about these plans and studies and strategies, but I’m 20 years on the ground and I can stand over six ministers and four CEOs of Irish Rail who have all paid lip service to Westmeath,” he said.

Support came from the Mullingar mayor, Cllr Ken Glynn, who seconded Cllr Leonard’s motion saying he too felt strongly on the subject and believed the reopening of the Mullingar to Athlone rail line would be “a game changer” for the town and county.

Cllr Glynn pointed out that the students are back commuting on the trains to their colleges in Dublin, yet Mullingar is waiting for the extra carriages it was promised.

Backing also came from Cllr Niall Gaffney, who agreed with everything Cllr Leonard had said, adding that – like Cllr Leonard, during the local election campaign – he found, as he canvassed Killucan, Raharney, Rathwire and Delvin, the subject was constantly raised with him.

Cllr Bill Collentine said the population of Mullingar will get bigger as more housing is built and it was necessary to get people off the roads and on to public transport.

Cllr Alfie Devine also offered full backing, saying that even while canvassing in Finea, Castlepollard and Collinstown, he had people asking him if he thought Killucan station would ever reopen, while Cllr David Jones felt that the reopening of Killucan would offer huge potential to take a large number of cars off the road.

Commenting that the word on the grapevine is that there is to be an election in November, Cllr Mick Dollard suggested that the council should write to the Oireachtas representatives as well, saying that this was something for them to get their teeth into.

Director of Services Deirdre Reilly agreed to write to the National Transport Authority and Irish Rail inviting them to attend a council meeting.