Push for feasibility study for local light rail service

A local councillor is continuing to push the need for a feasibility study to be carried out to examine the possibility of a light rail service between Moate and Athlone, despite being told it will not be happening in the short-term.

While the reply given to Green Cllr Louise Heavin at this month's Athlone-Moate Municipal District meeting on Monday week was not positive, she asked that they contact the department in relation to the project to look for possible funding avenues for a study.

Earlier, she had asked in a written question if there was any progress on the feasibility of a light rail linking the two towns of Athlone and Moate, she was told: “Due to other priorities, no progress has been made on this to date.”

In a follow-up query, Cllr Heavin asked if there is any possibility of the feasibility study being carried out in the future?

“The answer sets out that there are other priorities at the moment that we have funding for and that we need to progress due to deadlines, so for the short-term there are no plans in the immediate to progress that, however, it was a motion agreed by members and it will be looked at,” Jackie Finney, District Manager, Municipal District of Athlone-Moate replied at Monday week's council meeting, held online, rather than in-person.

“We'd have to identify appropriate sources of funding for it (study) so I can't say categorically whether it is or it isn't (going to progress). When a motion is passed for a project to be undertaken, sometimes it doesn't happen immediately, but opportunities present themselves for appropriate sources of funding, sometimes things we are not aware of come down the line... so they are always in the back of the mind.

“We're always watching motions that are supported and projects that are proposed and the environment does change in terms of funding, and priorities for the council. That's all I can really say in that it is a motion that has been passed and supported by elected members, and we would be keeping an eye on it for sources of funding that would be appropriate to it,” Ms Finney added.

On hearing this, Cllr Louise Heavin suggested that the council writes to the Department of Transport to inquire about possible sources of funding as a starting point to do a feasibility study, something Senior Engineer Damien Grennan agreed to do to see if the department can help identify funding sources.