*Photograph: Joe Buckley
Loud support for the addition of a rail spur to Shannon Airport needs to stem from the entire Mid-West region.
Limerick TD, Brian Leddin (GP) expressed the sentiments at a webinar hosted virtually by Shannon Chamber on Tuesday morning. Provision of a rail link to Shannon Airport is included as a key objective in the Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (LSMATS).
Leddin outlined that the LSMATS second draft would be published in the coming weeks. He stressed the need to “lock in” Shannon Airport and the Free Zone as strategic assets. “We need to be shouting very loudly for a rail link for Shannon, we need to get Shannon Chamber strongly behind that”.
Shannon Chamber board member, Kevin Thompstone confirmed they had made “strong” contributions to the LSMATS and agreed that both the Airport and Free Zone were key strategic assets. “I think Shannon has opportunities on climate action, Shannon had built a strong niche of going after fuel efficient aircraft”.
