Iarnród Éireann has confirmed that it is planning to reopen the Limerick to Ennis line at 16:00hrs this Saturday 20th April.
Only evening services will operate on Saturday while it’s expected a full schedule will resume on Sunday.
The line closed on 18th March last due to flooding at Ballycar. However, the flood waters have now receded, and final inspections and patrols will take place over the coming days prior to reopening on Saturday afternoon.
Bus transfers will remain in operation between Limerick and Ennis in both directions until Saturday afternoon.
On Saturday 20th April, the following services will operate:
18:15hrs Limerick to Galway
19:50hrs Limerick to Galway
20:30hrs Limerick to Ennis
17:25hrs Ennis to Limerick
17:50hrs Galway to Limerick
18:45hrs Galway to Ennis
21:10hrs Ennis to Limerick
*A full service will operate from Sunday 21st April onwards.
Iarnród Éireann has apologised to customers for the inconvenience caused by the flooding over the past month.
Ballycar Lough and its environs lie within a geological and hydrogeological environment where the underlying limestone rock and thin covering of soil and bedrock exposure combine to produce a shallow network of springs, turloughs and disappearing streams. The causes of flooding at Ballycar Lough are mainly the prolonged sustained rainfall in Ballycar Lough catchment coupled with the natural constriction to the outflow stream of Ballycar Lough located between the swallow hole and the spring.
In addition to causing disruption to rail services, these flood events also caused disruption to the water supply to Newmarket on Fergus as well as blocking local roads and restricting access to farming lands.
A report on flood relief options at Ballycar was undertaken by Consultant Engineers RPS for Iarnród Éireann and stakeholder representatives from Clare County Council, the Office of Public Works (OPW), the Geological Survey Ireland (GSI) and the National Parks & Wildlife Services (NPWS). This study recommends a new preferred option of a technically viable drainage scheme that would (i) prevent flooding of the railway occurring whilst also (ii) including any flood mitigation measures downstream that would be necessary either directly or indirectly with this option.
Iarnród Éireann believes the report meets the desired objective to identify the most appropriate technically feasible drainage solution to address the flooding at Ballycar. The indicative costs for the proposed solution is €16.7M including VAT (2020 estimate), and for this project to proceed a funding source will need to be identified by the Exchequer, and – given the works are away from railway property – a responsible agency nominated. The report has been issued to the relevant State department and agencies for their consideration. When a funding source is identified this will permit the project to progress with the steps involved including the appointment of a consultant and the progression of the project through preliminary and detailed design.
