RAIL commuters travelling from Colbert Station to Limerick Junction and onwards to Cork, Dublin and Waterford, will endure considerable disruption and delays during the months of July and August as train services are suspended. The majority of trains between Limerick and Dublin travel through Limerick Junction, but this connection will be replaced by a fleet of buses for three days, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, in July.
For one week in August the N24, which passes by Limerick Junction, will also be closed, meaning buses will have to take an alternative route, adding to journey times.
The disruption is necessary to allow Irish Rail to carry out long-awaited essential work on Oola Bridge.
“This is going to have a huge impact on business and leisure commuters, but there is no way around it”, Cllr Mary Harty, told the Limerick Post.
“No direct line trains travel through Limerick Junction, so these won’t be disrupted.
“It won’t be so bad in July as the buses will be able to travel from the city, but in August the road will be closed and a diversion in place through Cappamore and Doon, which will add considerably to journey times.
“The diversion has to go through regional roads, rather than local roads as it is a heavily trafficked route, used by HGVs”.
Speaking to the Limerick Post, Jim Gallivan, Business Development Manager at Irish Rail, said that plans are currently being finalised.
“We are looking at the possibility of sending one afternoon train each way between Dublin and Limerick through Ballybrophy each day, but it won’t be possible to do more than that as it is a single line track that also services other lines”.
The 5.05am outgoing train and 1.40pm return route operate via Ballybrophy and will not be affected.
In total 17 outgoing trains to Dublin and 16 returning trains daily will have a bus service operating between Limerick and Limerick Junction.
“The Galway and Ennis trains will not be disrupted although train departure times may be advanced to allow for additional road travel time for connections”.
He explained that Irish Rail are looking at operating buses direct from Colbert Station to Thurles so commuters can make connections there during the road closure in August.
“The east Limerick diversions would take one hr 20 mins to Limerick junction, which isn’t manageable for us.
“If commuters travel from the city to Thurles it will add just 20 minutes to their total journey time”.
A public awareness campaign is to be launched in the week before the disruption while it is hoped that revised timetables will be available online two weeks prior.
