GALWAY and the western region is poised to experience a massive expansion in rail services over the next five to ten years, the Super Junior Minister for Transport, told the Galway City Tribune this week.

Seán Canney, who is responsible for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports, said that both frequency of services and station accessibility would be key parts of a growing rail service.

His comments come after Iarnród Éireann announced this week the appointment of a team of leading international consultants tasked with ‘improving capacity and passenger experience’ across an 140km [87 miles] stretch of rail line from Galway to Portarlington.

Jacobs Consultants, who employ 45,000 people across 40 countries, will over the next four years be focusing on putting in place the framework for a major expansion in rail services along the Galway to Dublin route.

Super Junior Minister, Seán Canney, said that Ireland was on the verge of very exciting times in terms of rail services and especially so in the context of the link between the western region and Dublin.

“Some of the objectives will include a service on the hour between Galway and Dublin; the opening and reopening of smaller stations to improve passenger accessibility; and the provision of ‘passing loops’ at stations which will allow a second train to pass while another is pulled in.

“Globally, there is also a huge and growing emphasis on developing a transport network with the eventual aim of being carbon neutral and many of the big multi-national employers in Galway are moving in this direction.

“The opening of new stations – in many cases older ones which have been closed down over the years – will make accessibility to rail services far easier for people in small towns and villages across the West of Ireland.

“For example, to take my own case, living in Belclare, if I need to get on a train, the options are to drive either  to Athenry or Claremorris, and then if I go that far, the temptation is to drive all the way.

“But if stations were re-opened in locations such as Milltown, Tuam and Ballyglunin – just to give a few local examples – then it would make a lot of sense to take the train rather than to drive,” Minister Canney told the Tribune.

According to Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail), the appointment of Jacobs, will support their long-term strategy for ‘expanding and modernising’ a section [Galway-Portarlington] of Ireland’s rail network in line with the aspirations of the ‘All Island Strategic Rail Review’.

“Initially, Jacobs will provide multi-disciplinary consultancy services – delivering the pre-feasibility, feasibility and preferred option selection project phases.

“They will be looking at additional track capacity, decarbonisation, increased speeds and higher service frequencies needs,” Iarnród Éireann state.

Keith Lawson, the Executive Vice President of Jacobs, said that this major improvement project aimed to significantly enhance capacity, reduce journey times and increase service frequency for passengers, improving connectivity for communities and businesses.

“The complexity of this programme necessitates an integrated approach, encompassing transport planning, stakeholder engagement, environmental considerations, urban development and more.

“The scale of our team in Ireland brings diverse capabilities to seamlessly integrate these solutions to support the country’s evolving transport needs,” said Keith Lawson.

Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) Chief Executive Jim Meade welcomed the involvement of Jacobs in the new study.

“We believe strongly that providing frequent and reliable rail services to more and more communities will greatly assist in reducing reliance on private cars and will go a long way to meeting Ireland’s climate action targets,” said Jim Meade.

The Irish Rail infrastructure investment programme is part of the National Development Plan 2018-2027 aimed at supporting ‘compact growth, sustainable mobility and transition to a climate neutral and climate resilient society’.

Jacobs, or Jacobs Solutions, are headquartered in Dallas, Texas, USA, with a $12 billion annual revenue stream from all across the world.

They specialise in what are described as ‘end-to-end services’ including the manufacturing, energy, environmental, sustainability, life sciences, transportation and water sectors.

The contract with Iarnród Éireann is initially for a four-year period with the option of another four-year renewal in 2029.

Pictured: A train every hour from Galway’s Ceannt Station to Dublin is among the objectives of an expansion of services by Iarnród Éireann.