Cassells raises Navan rail issue in Dail

TRANSPORT Minister Shane Ross is set to come to Navan to discuss the Navan rail line project and to hear the case for it to be resurrected.

This follows an invitation to do so by local TD Shane Cassells who was questioning the minister in the Dáil during topical issues last week.

Deputy Cassells stated that the project was of 'critical importance' to the people of Meath and called on Minister Ross to 'breathe new life' into it.

The 35km of connecting rail to complete the project from Dunboyne to Navan was shelved in 2011 due to the lack of exchequer funding.

Worse news for those hoping to see trains running back into the city centre followed when last year the project did not make it on to the National Transport Authority capital plan effectively killing the scheme in the short term.

However, under adjournment matters in the Dáil last week Deputy Cassells sought to put it back on the agenda and to get Minister Ross to reappraise the project.

With over 33,000 people leaving the county each morning to go to their place of work the 'need for the rail line spoke for itself' according to Cassells.

'Thousands of people bought homes in Navan in anticipation of this rail line coming to Navan and it is essential that new life is breathed into it.'

Minister Ross accepted the invitation to come to Navan and discuss the plans. He said that that the NTA had dropped the project from their plans but that it was open to review.

Deputy Cassells held up a recent copy an article on the sale of 51 acres of land in North Navan for €6 million, which would cater for 1,400 houses.

'The town is under huge pressure as we speak and the roads into Dublin are congested from the moment you hit Blanchardstown.

'We need a sustainable form of public transport and bringing the rail to Navan would be a huge economic boost for the town,' concluded Cassells.