Madam, – The decision by Irish Rail to suspend services between Waterford City and Rosslare (“Rosslare-Waterford rail service to end”, Home News, July 5th) comes after the service has been systematically run down over many years.
The cost of running the line was quoted in the article as €4 million a year. I have a letter dated May 19th, 2020, signed by Richard Fearn, chief executive of Irish Rail, stating the cost of running the line is €1.9 million.
The service no longer runs at times that coincide with ferry services, and the timetable does not meet the needs of any potential customers – workers, students, shoppers, or people attending Waterford Regional Hospital for medical services. Nor are there through-services to Limerick or connections with services to Dublin at either Waterford or Rosslare.
We believe that there is huge potential for this railway to provide a much-needed service to the people of south Wexford, and that the way to do this is for Irish Rail to be motivated to transform the way it operates the line so that it meets the needs of the public, and operates at the time when they wish to travel.
A study conducted by Irish Rail and separate independent surveys and interviews throughout south Wexford indicate that an increase from the current single train each way, to three trains would result in a sixfold increase in passenger numbers. The subsidy to provide this service being virtually the same as the much-hyped Western Rail Corridor.
In addition to local needs, the line is also a strategic link between the west of Ireland and Rosslare Ferryport. We believe there is an obvious opportunity to market the line as a tourism resource to bring in visitors from the UK and Europe, and enhance the economic benefits to the south east. – Yours, etc,