Full steam ahead for Crusheen station

PLANS for a new railway station in Crusheen have been given the green light by Clare County Council, following years of campaigning by a local lobby group.
The Crusheen Railway Committee, which is spearheaded by Sean Keehan and Michael O’Doherty, has spent years lobbying public representatives and Iarnród Éireann to construct a rail stop in the village.
The group presented a strong case, which showed Crusheen is an ideal location for a rail stop to facilitate people coming from Ruan, Corofin, Tubber, Boston and elsewhere in North Clare, as well as Tulla and other areas of East Clare.
Funds of about €1.5 million have already been allocated for the Crusheen stop on the recently opened €106.5m Western Rail Corridor, which delivers services between Galway and Limerick.
New and changed services on the route include a new Galway to Ennis evening commuter service, departing Galway for Ennis at 6.30pm and departing Ennis for Galway at 8.15pm, the latter providing a new evening link from Limerick to Galway.
The first phase of the Western Rail Corridor involved the upgrading of 36 miles of track and associated infrastructure and included the provision of five stations, four of which are already complete at Gort, Ardrahan, Craughwell, Sixmilebridge, while permission has also been approved for one in Oranmore.
The approved plans for Crusheen include the provision of a new railway station, a 90m platform, a 47-bay car park, telecom equipment room, passenger shelter, station signage and associated infrastructure, including the access road and associated services, subject to 17 planning conditions.
Running to 90m in length, with access ramps at each end, the new platform design will incorporate new surfacing, lighting, tactile edging and line markings and will drain away from the track as per IÉ design standards.
Closed-circuit television and a public address system will be provided. A passenger shelter, enclosed ticket vending machine and platform furniture, such as seating and bins, will also be constructed. The car-parking area will incorporate disabled spaces, as well as a cycle parking shelter.
According to planning documents submitted to the council, the former station site is not a suitable location for the station as it is now in private ownership, has poor road access and had a very limited area for car parking.
It is proposed to construct the new station 150m north of the former site, which has good road access to the former N18 and is within walking or cycling distance of the village.
In a submission to the council, the Clare branch of An Taisce made a number of recommendations concerning the extension of the amenity area to compensate for the lost planting area, earthworks, cycle and pathway, fencing, surface water drainage, lighting and landscape proposals.
Iarnród Éireann chief executive, Dick Fearn, said the company is pleased with the level of passengers using the reopened section of railway between Limerick and Galway and predicted a rail stop at Crusheen would contribute to the success of the overall service.
Realignment and new level works were undertaken at Crusheen during the construction phase of the Western Rail Corridor ahead of its reopening in March 2010.
Land owners John Galvin and Paul Egan have made a portion of their land available for a car park and railway station in Crusheen and provided written consent for the planning application. This followed on foot of Iarnród Éireann receiving substantial interest in the possibility of a service from Crusheen.
Welcoming the decision, Councillor Michael Kelly stressed the station is totally justified, as it is the only stop between Ennis and Gort, whereas there are two stops in a 17-mile journey from Gort to Athenry.
He praised Iarnród Éireann, the Department of Transport and Clare County Council for funding this project.
“This station will facilitate passengers travelling from Crusheen, which has significant population, as well as the catchment areas of Ruan, Barefield and Tubber,” he said.