Martin Ferris
Ceist:272 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Transport when the promised improvement in rail services to County Kerry will come on stream. [26547/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 28 October 2004
Ceisteanna (272)
Freagraí scríofa
I am informed by Irish Rail that since 1994 over €50 million has been invested in the Mallow-Tralee railway line. This involved the total relaying of the line and the replacement of old track with new continuous welded rail, CWR, and the upgrading of customer facilities on the route. The Kerry route re-signalling project, which commenced in February 2004, is due to be completed in the spring of 2005. The project involves the replacing of the old semaphore mechanical signalling system by a computer-controlled colour light signalling system on the Tralee-Mallow section of the line. The re-signalling project is designed to deliver significant service improvements to rail customers who use the Tralee-Dublin route.
Irish Rail has already placed a €116 million order for a fleet of 67 new purpose built intercity carriages. When delivered late next year, they will be used on all Cork-Dublin services, and when the full fleet is in service in 2006, they will allow Irish Rail to deliver an hourly service in each direction on the Cork-Dublin route. They will also allow the carriages currently operating on the Cork-Dublin route to be allocated to other routes, including the services to Kerry.
In the December 2004 timetable, a number of additional services were introduced to facilitate travel on the line between Tralee and Cork and I understand that these services are proving popular with Irish Rail's customers.