LATEST: Concerns in Tipperary over speed of trains going through one station

Tipperary TD Alan Kelly has concerns about the Ballybrophy rail line that there are "so many crossings on the line it is impossible for the trains to go at higher speeds to help deliver more services".

In a statement, he said: "I’ve been fighting for the Ballybrophy rail line all my political career, ensuring during the bad economic times that it was kept open and fighting for its progress ever since, with track upgrades and other works.

"We have more and more people commuting to Dublin from north Tipperary with working from home being prevalent so we really need more trains, a better timetable and marketing of this line.

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"However, the key issue is that there are so many crossings on the line it is impossible for the trains to go at higher speeds to help deliver more services.

"The Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael/Independent have decided that this rural line isn’t a priority for them and that they will not provided funding to deal with these crossings. Irish Rail in their recent response to me have made this quite clear.

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"I am now calling on the Government and their representatives in north Tipperary and the mid west to ensure this is changed and that funding is provided in the forthcoming National Development Plan to deal with these crossings and to improve the service offering, create a better timetable and ensure local people can commute to Dublin and Limerick as is so badly needed."