Midlands Gateway

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Contents

[edit] Midlands Gateway or Lake-Counties Gateway

Midlands or Lake-Counties Gateway
Midlands or Lake-Counties Gateway
Midlands or Lake-Counties Gateway
Midlands or Lake-Counties Gateway
Midlands Gateway & Tri-Pole Populations
Midlands Gateway & Tri-Pole Populations
Midlands Gateway Popular Routes
Midlands Gateway Popular Routes

Centered between the major Irish airports, as Dublin, Shannon, and Knock, doted with ever improving ground infrastructure, the Irish govenment and local government plan to eliviate the worsening urban problems, by de-centraling to growing gateways such as the Midlands Gateway of Offaly and Westmeath. According to the Irish National Development plan the Midlands gateway objectives are to reinforce and further develop strong links between these towns and the neighbouring urban centres, by means of Infrastructure and services in order to maximise internal and external accessibility as a location for investment business development and tourism.

The counties immediately concerned are those of Offaly and Westmeath. The neighbouring counties are Cavan, Laois, Longford, Meath, Monaghan, Roscommon, and near Ulster counties.

The principle urban centres concerned with the 'Midlands Gateway are Mullingar, Athlone and Tullamore.

[edit] Objective

The proposed combined County council strategy will provide the basis for the development of a world class, knowledge-based and competitive gateway. The strategy is designed to create an integrated linked Gateway comprising Athlone, Tullamore and Mullingar together with the other surrounding towns in the region to realise its potential as an internationally competitive Gateway. The designation and development of the Midlands gateway is of key importance and will provide the basis to develop a range of high quality employment and educational opportunities centred on first-rate accessibility and mobility. The Irish government strategy, combined with the associated councils have been formulated to ensure the availability of choice in residential, retail, leisure and tourist facilities based on the principles of quality of life and environmental enhancement. This strategy, when implemented, will support economic development in adjoining counties to the Midlands Gateway.


[edit] Vision for the Midlands Gateway to the year 2020

The development of a world class, knowledge based and competitive gateway, underpinned by quality Urban structure and environment, excellent infrastructure and a visionary leadership which maximises quality of life for its citizens.

A background to this project is the Government’s National Spatial Strategy, which was launched in 2002 with the objective of engendering a more balanced approach to regional development across the State. The purpose of this Strategic Framework is to focus more directly on the role of the Midlands Gateway within this Strategy in acting as the economic driving force for the development of the Midlands region.

[edit] Achieving the Vision

In order to ensure that the Vision for the Midlands Gateway is fully achieved, the following partners are of critical importance to the Midlands gateways success: Involvement and participation of most important stakeholders/agencies responsible for achieving the Vision, including Government Departments, Industrial Development Authority (Ireland), National Roads Authority NRA, Higher Education Authority (HEA) and Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and local agencies;

Development of a long-term strategic approach regarding the development, advancement and promotion of the Midlands Gateway;

Clear integration of the three principal Gateway towns of Athlone, Tullamore and Mullingar so as to form a seamless ‘linked gateway’;

Incorporation of the Strategic Development Framework for the Midlands Gateway into the Regional Planning Guidelines for the Midlands Region;

Ongoing monitoring and review of the Strategic Development Framework to ensure its success.


[edit] Indecon Trasportation Analysis

Transportation Accessibility Mobility Internal & External to the Gateway

One of the most essential requirements that will ensure the successful operation of a Gateway is the provision of high quality transport infrastructure so as to provide the necessary levels of internal and external accessibility and mobility. Currently, the Gateway does not have direct access to complete Inter-Urban Motorways/Dual-Carriageways, both internally and externally. The Gateway, and in particular the three principal Gateway towns of Athlone, Tullamore and Mullingar, is served by main line inter-urban rail and bus networks, with direct access to urban centres of Dublin, Galway and Sligo, and limited local bus services. However, there is poor rail connection within the Gateway. In addition, the Gateway is not directly served by an inland port and, of critical importance, is not currently within one hour drive time of an international airport. There is poor road linkage between the Gateways towns, with limited rail and bus service links. Based on the road development proposals recently announced in the Transport 21 Government Proposal (November, 2005), the Midlands Gateway will attain improved and direct access to the above mentioned national urban centres, and therefore also to ports and airports. There is a need to considerably improve the road infrastructure within and adjacent to the Gateway, as the existing status is significantly insufficient.

Overall, the Gateway's current position is deficient in terms of transportation, accessibility and mobility.

Foot Note

According to the UIC or International Union of Railways, public Transportation press-release, The transport sector alone is responsible for 25% of the global CO2 emissions of which 84% are directly caused by the road sector, private cars and road transport; Only 1% is generated by rail transport and this CO2 advantage can dramatically help countries to achieve the reduction targets of the Kyoto Protocol. (referenced below)

[edit] Critism: Rail Track Costings (at 2004 prices)

1906 Irish Rail Infrastructure.... A Long Way to return.
1906 Irish Rail Infrastructure.... A Long Way to return.
Infrastructure, Capacity / Soil-occupation, Rail or Motorway comparisson
Infrastructure, Capacity / Soil-occupation, Rail or Motorway comparisson

Priced per kilometre


The minister of Finance Mr Brian Cowen, proposes in his speech of 2nd March 2007 mentions an allocation of 300M Euro for the best and most Suitable projects. According to the Indecon Strategic Development Framework for the Midlands Gateway, It is essential to invest seriously within the significantly insufficient infrastructure. The reader is invited to refer to this, detailed on page 140 pdf browser reading, or 124 125 when reading upon paper.

[edit] Irish Transport Sector Responsibility to Kyoto Protocol & Next Generation

This gateway proposal by only using Fossil-fuel infrastructure cannot be considered as 21 century compatible. Therefore, electrified and mutualised responsible public transportation infracture must be given priority for Mobility, Accessibility, and interoperability while remaining compliant with our European Carbon dioxide gas emissions, and Kyoto national commitments. It is therefore urgent to re-instate enlargen old and existing rail corridors and plan now for future electrification of High-speed infrastructure.

An Irish Rail spokesman said the services on the WRC would be operated by commuter railcars rather than Intercity trains. In fact, the only line being campaigned for which could see the use of Intercity carriages is the Athlone-to-Mullingar line, which was once part of the main line to Galway.

While local campaigners have focused on the line’s potential as a commuter route, some believe it could cut half an hour from rail journeys between Galway and Dublin.

Although the 2003 strategic rail review found that restoring the line would cost €154 million, this estimate has since been cut to €84 million.

[edit] Midlands Gateway Kyoto Responsibility

Successive Irish govenments dismantled Irish rail without considering the long term consequences. The absence of these rail-lines, and associated actions, have been devestating to the Midlands and to the country-wide rail transport generally. Unemployment, emmegration, during the periods preceeding the common market, and during the 70's and 80's where the affected population went to the four corners of the earth, while Sean Lemass and successive governments dismantled and sold off our infrastructure. Refer to History of Rail Transport in Ireland, for map amimated rail disappearance.

Today these infrastructure corridors remain a valued potential for fibre-optic communication and transportation infrastructural requirements for the Midlands gateway, provided a co-ordinated and concerted effort is iniated from County Council, Regional, National, and European levels, from Irish elected representatives. Policies that respect the environment, such as Kyoto Protocol cardon dioxide emission agreements, public ecologically-friendly transportation policies, such as electrified or battery driven inter-rail, intra-rail gateway services, that service urban hubs, and activity centres within the Midlands gateway must be executed with regour, and without delay. They should be executed while considering Carbon dioxide sanctions and penalties so that the gateway is, and remains, attractive in the long-term to business incentives.


In order to render transportation and telecommunication infrastructural systems financially viable, a main artery or back-bone from Derry to southern ports, Cork, Waterford, Foynes, Rosslare Europort via the Midlands gateway must be re-commissioned by doubling lines, up-grading existing lines, in accordance with Irish Kyoto commitments. By so doing, finance for Kyoto carbon dioxide credits and Gateway telecommunication and transportation infrastructural attractiveness will finally pay for the long term venture. Successive Irish govenments must recomission, enlargen Irish rail corridors, while considering the long term consequences of not doing do. In order that the Midlands gateway may become a counter-balance to the Dublin and Galway gateways, the government who represent the Irish electorate, must provide measures to commission the existing and de-commissioned rail corridors, by upgrading to Transport 21 technology standards, Security standards, Surety standards, and 21st. century travel time standard requirements. Commissioning a north-south back-bone for transportation and communications in association with European parliament and Stormont is now ideal timing as the European president, M. José Manuel Barroso is anxious to contribute to peace within the island of Ireland.

Where back-bone infractructure remains available, reasonable transportation peak services become available as follows:

  • Metro 40km/h at intervals of 1.30 seconds
  • Regional Express Trains at intervals of 5 to 10 minutes at 90km/h
  • Inter-city 270Km/h 350km/h at intervals of 30 minutes

Therefore , it is vital that the Irish elected representatives to government execute the necessary measures for the future success of the Midlands Gateway counter balance roll to at least recommission the Monaghan, Cavan to Mullingar and the Athlone to Mullingar rail lines. Public Private Partnership has no mandate from the electorate, to execute such an undertaking nor access to the finance to achieve what political representatives have failed to perform.

In essence, the PPP do not posess magic wands to gap-fill government failures.

Irish elected, and mandate representatives, must face their responsibilities to their electorate and provide the necessay policies in order to mature conditions that give birth to a true Irish Back-bone infrastructure, with other arteries feeding from the principle back-bone of the island.

[edit] Gateway Irish Urban Reference Destination Destances

Midlands Gateway Urban Destination Distances
The distances given below are in kilometres as travelling through the Midlands gateway ATM (Athlone-Tullamore-Mullingar).
Where it is logical to travel along the East or West coast directly, these distances are provided according to the popular route.
Urban by-passes, Rockades, Diversions, Detours and all other dispositives prolonging the travelled distances between destinations are equated to ZERO.
This is an estimation distance guide only.
× City /Town 1 City /Town 2 City /Town 3 City /Town 4 City /Town 5 City /Town 6 City /Town 7 City /Town 8 City /Town 9 City /Town 10 City /Town 11 City /Town 12 City /Town 13 City /Town 14 City /Town 15 City /Town 16 City /Town 17 City /Town 18 City /Town 19 City /Town 20 City /Town 21 City /Town 22 City /Town 23 City /Town 24 City /Town 25 City /Town 26 City /Town 27 City /Town 28 City /Town 29 City /Town 30 City /Town 31 City /Town 32
km Athboy
km 80 Athlone
km 188 241 Ballymina
km 144 221 46 Belfast
km 100 128 298 285 Castlebar
km 232 255 44 91 269 Coleraine
km 368 217 467 424 274 491 Cork
km 60 80 152 136 168 180 300 Cavan
km 40 142 163 120 230 187 309 88 Drogheda
km 80 124 211 168 235 235 259 108 53 M-50 Dublin
km 72 160 127 84 248 152 341 80 37 85 Dundalk
km 248 219 418 375 301 443 78 274 260 211 211 Dungarvan
km 60 40 222 176 130 200 297 40 90 80 120 251 Edworthstown
km 184 108 453 407 173 387 140 213 296 243 324 160 148 Ennis
km 120 126 434 168 160 157 363 46 137 154 100 337 86 234 Enniskillen
km 128 96 354 341 92 326 201 160 268 219 249 227 136 80 190 Galway
km 152 124 333 290 250 358 148 178 175 126 207 96 155 150 265 174 Kilkenny
km 160 230 515 472 290 539 87 319 357 308 389 165 296 155 382 215 195 Killarney
km 160 123 409 366 183 417 99 217 251 202 283 119 175 41 280 109 131 114 Limerick
km 40 55 245 197 112 228 284 56 118 105 147 244 15 156 101 156 162 310 202 Longford
km 32 48 215 169 154 232 242 59 75 65 85 216 35 155 121 144 120 261 159 42 Mullingar
km 220 234 89 114 221 50 478 163 188 236 165 430 193 408 107 276 345 476 368 191 221 Derry
km 60 116 244 201 227 269 223 130 86 37 118 175 107 206 193 205 89 272 165 114 72 256 Naas
km 100 80 368 325 174 332 134 169 210 161 242 151 146 84 232 100 93 149 43 153 111 307 124 Nenagh
km 60 179 97 110 199 102 423 72 133 181 110 375 143 338 50 255 290 404 297 128 130 57 201 254 Omagh
km 200 202 375 332 328 400 195 300 217 160 249 117 235 239 363 306 121 280 198 242 200 387 141 202 332 Rosslare
km 180 134 374 392 168 402 119 279 277 227 309 146 214 20 342 94 158 134 28 221 179 352 190 69 329 224 Shannon
km 160 117 215 202 84 187 323 121 201 207 200 334 96 255 75 175 228 338 231 81 123 137 199 195 114 358 216 Sligo
km 260 215 509 466 249 483 118 312 351 302 383 195 289 148 375 175 228 33 107 296 254 434 265 143 398 295 128 297 Tralee
km 60 43 256 213 169 281 207 93 149 101 130 181 80 165 156 138 85 226 124 77 35 256 89 76 204 164 144 158 219 Tullamore
km 160 174 373 330 310 397 123 228 215 166 247 46 205 170 291 236 51 208 129 212 170 385 129 160 329 73 155 289 226 135 Waterford
km 180 189 350 307 315 374 184 244 112 134 224 107 263 228 307 295 110 269 187 228 186 362 129 189 307 19 214 333 285 151 63 Wexford
km 120 170 270 227 280 295 254 204 112 55 144 176 181 281 146 265 132 346 240 188 146 282 75 199 227 109 265 253 340 146 133 84 Wicklow

[edit] see also

[edit] Serving Industries

[edit] Overall Indecon Conclusions

The scale of the economic challenges facing the Midlands Gateway is, indeed very large. The analysis in this report has highlighted the following challenges in particular:

  • The absence of a critical mass of population, employment and infrastructure in the Gateway;
  • The extremely low levels of value-added and productivity in the existing manufacturing base in the region, which leaves the Gateway vulnerable to significant further job losses;
  • The persistence of socio-economic barriers, including noticeably higher unemployment, lower educational attainment, and social deprivation/exclusion in certain areas in the Midlands counties;
  • The failure of the region to capture a higher share of tourism activity and to develop higher value tourism product areas; and
  • The absence of a strong, identifiable ‘brand’ for the Midlands Gateway, which gives the Gateway and surrounding region strong visibility as an attractive location for live and work.
  • The reporters Simpson and Associates, strongly believe that unless the strategies recommended in this report are implemented, the potential for the area to develop as a significant Gateway is limited and this element of the NSS would remain aspirational.
  • If, however, the recommendations in this report are implemented, we believe there is a real opportunity for significant progress to be made.

[edit] Epilogue

This above mentioned report represents a major step in collaboration between the Westmeath and Offaly County Council in developing the Gateway. While there will be significant challenges in implementing the gateway concept, this framework represents the key first step forward and, when followed by the other actions recommended, will see the full implementation of this element of the National Spasial Strategy (NSS). This will provide the basis the basis for developing a successful competitive gateway.

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