THE NATIONAL TRANSPORT AUTHORITY (NTA) is to discuss the plans to close the 105-year-old Waterford to Rosslare railway line at a meeting today.

Iarnród Eireann says that the route is not economically viable and carries just thirty passngers a day. Currently there is just one train from Rosslare to Waterford at 7am, and another coming the other way in the evening.

Local campaigners want to keep the line open and introduce more services on the route.

A group of over fifty politicians from both government and opposition parties met in Waterford earlier this week to outline their belief that the line be kept open. Labour Party Transport spokesperson Joe Costello TD is one TD behind the campaign to keep the line open.

“It makes no sense to shut this rail line down as it is a key link to the Western Rail Corridor. The publication of the SERA (South East Regional Authority) report on the future of the Rosslare-Waterford-Limerick rail line identified a number of critical shortcomings in the Iarnród Éireann business case for terminating passenger services on the Rosslare-Waterford line.”

Iarnród Eireann announced the plans to close the line in March, saying that it was not viable. A spokesperson told RTE News in March that the revenue generated from the line covers only 2% of the cost of keeping it open.

The NTA could decide as soon as today if Iarnród Eireann are allowed to close the route.