Call for railway buffer zone

A new buffer zone removing restrictions from carrying out work near a protected bird sanctuary will have to be provided to facilitate maintenance on the West Clare Railway.
That’s according to West Clare Railway developer, Jackie Whelan, who has requested Heritage Minister Jimmy Deenihan to ensure the railway is exempted from any of the provisions of the new draft Special Protection Area (SPA) in Poulnasherry Bay.
While Mr Whelan is a committed wildlife enthusiast and bird lover, he warns the current draft provisions will make it impossible for him to carry out regular maintenance work on the line at Moyasta, Kilrush.
A portion of the railway line near Poulnasherry Bay is included in an SPA protection zone and Mr Whelan is extremely concerned he will not be able to drive a tractor on the line if this zone remains unchanged.
Mr Whelan highlighted his concern with Minister Deenihan during a public information meeting in Tarbert, North Kerry, where the minister assured him the railway shouldn’t be adversely affected.
Despite this assurance, Mr Whelan wants a new buffer zone for the railway to be included once the new SPA area in Poulansherry Bay comes into operation.
“I will fight tooth and nail to ensure the railway is not affected by the SPA designation.
“I need a new buffer zone to be provided at either side of the railway to facilitate maintenance work.
“I laid it on the line when I met Minister Deenihan recently. I am concerned that someone drew a line on the map for the new SPA without visiting the area to see what would be adversely affected,” he said.
Mr Whelan stressed he has no objection to the protection of birds and said he erected an information sign detailing all the birds that could be found in the area 10 years ago.
He also expressed concern that EU bureaucrats didn’t seem to appreciate that Ireland was a coastal country where huge tracts of land could be unnecessarily designated as an SPA if a common-sense approach wasn’t adopted.
As chairman of the Moyasta Development Association, Mr Whelan is also concerned that people who enjoyed traditional rights-of-way collecting seaweed and oysters could also be affected by the new SPA designation.
Meanwhile, Mr Whelan is hopeful the National Roads Authority (NRA) will approve the reduction of the 100 kilometres per hour existing speed limit at Moyasta junction to 60 kilometres per hour to facilitate the provision of his proposed railway heritage museum and associated works in the near future.
If the NRA approves the speed limit ­reduction, it will facilitate the crossing of the main Kilrush to Kilkee road at ­Moyasta junction for the first time since 1961.
Mr Whelan has collected a number of broad gauge railway engines plus a fleet of fire engines since the 1950s.
West Clare Railway Limited was granted planning permission by Clare County Council to develop a building to house his substantial collection of historic railway engines and carriages for public view.
It was proposed to move visitors, who would be received at the existing centre located North East of the N67 on trains via a future level crossing on the N67 to the proposed museum building.
However, the council’s approval was appealed to An Bord Pleanála by the NRA, who signalled its dissatisfaction with the prospect of a new level crossing on the N67, for reasons of interference with the functioning of a national route and road safety concerns.
The board ruled that, notwithstanding the proposed “park and ride” transport arrangement to service the museum, the proposed development would endanger public safety by reason of a traffic hazard or obstruction of road users or otherwise as a result of additional traffic turning movements.