Alternative suggestions for Navan rail station
Dear sir - The ongoing and tireless efforts of Iarnród Éireann's project team, Minister Dempsey and innumerable other people in progressing Phase 2 of the Navan railway line is noteworthy. However, given that Navan already has a railway station a matter of metres away, the justification for building a second station in the form of the proposed Navan Central Station must be seriously questioned in these cash-strapped times. The present plan is that the new line will curve to the left to meet the existing freight line in the vicinity of Carriage Road. A better solution would be for it to curve to the right so that trains from Dublin can use the existing station. This tight curve to access the existing station would likely require a greater land take in the Carriage Road area and modifications to the existing Navan station. The existing Navan station has the benefits of being closer to the town centre and has a large yard already used by school buses which could cost-effectively be upgraded to bus station standards with provision for car parking. Further parking could be provided at an overflow car park adjacent to Carriage Road. Chapter 7 of The Navan Development Plan 2009-2015 notes the desirability of a bus station and speaks of an integrated public transport interchange at Navan Central Station. I feel these objectives can be better and cheaper realised by utilising the existing station. The proposed Navan North station, adjacent to the Windtown Road, is under a mile from Proudstown racecourse where until 1939 there was a halt for racegoers. While the Kingscourt railway line north of Navan is disused since 2002 and rather overgrown, it would make sense to renew the short stretch from Navan North to Proudstown and build a short platform so that racegoers could access the venue by rail. The restoration of the direct rail route from Dublin to Navan will only happen once but its benefits will last for centuries. Yours, Bernard H Allan, Cavan, Co Cavan.