West Dublin rail to receive boost

The railways of West Dublin are to play a crucial part in the future of Ireland’s rail system.

A report launched by the Department of Transport and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland has detailed how they see Irish rail travel shaping up between now and 2050, and the long-awaited DART+ West project is among the stars of the show.

A Cross-Dublin link was identified during the review process as a major way of upgrading Dublin’s rail system, and a planned link between Heuston Station to Dublin Airport was floated before it was decided that expanding the DART+ project was the more viable option.

Expansion of the DART+ project has been earmarked as a “medium-term” plan by the Department of Transport, which states that the DART+ plan should be fully up and running “by the end of the next decade.”

Other medium-term plans include upgrading speeds on intercity routes to 160-200km/h, and increasing speeds on other lines to 120-160km/h.

The decarbonisation of Ireland’s rail fleet is a major objective of the plan, and the document states that the electrification of intercity routes as well as ordering electric trains will play a major part in Ireland hitting their carbon targets. 

The document notes that a planned tunnel in Phoenix Park is crucial to the success of the DART project.

Iarnród Éireann has applied to build a new station at Spencer Dock, interchange with the Luas Red Line, and increase rail capacity at Connolly Station.

Increasing rail capacity and electrifying the lines at Connolly Station will lead to quicker commute times for those on the Maynooth service.

West Dublin communities such as Ashtown, Castleknock, Coolmine, Clonsilla and Ongar will see increased train services as a result of the Maynooth service becoming a major anchor of the railway plan.

Former Taoiseach Leo Vardkar said his most “significant regret” from his time as TD for Dublin West was the slow progress of the DART+ West.

Speaking in July, he noted that electric carriages are now on order and planning permission is expected to be granted “within weeks,” which has now come to pass.

“I believe we are past the point of no return when it comes to delivering this vital public transport project for the people of Dublin 15 and Dublin 7,” he said.

He noted that the population of Dublin West has doubled over the last twenty years, with increased rail services in the aforementioned Ashtown, Castleknock and Ongar a factor in the rapid population growth in the area.

The opening of the Pelletstown train station in 2021 was seen as an investment from Varadkar to deliver to constituents on a local level.

The report estimates that the capital cost of implementing all of the recommendations by 2050 is in the order of €35bn-€37 billion in 2023 prices, which the government says is economically feasible. 

Minister for Transport Éamon Ryan said “this is not just the first All-Island Strategic Rail Review, it is the most ambitious vision for rail in a century, bringing us forward to a new age of rail. This vision has been made possible by close cooperation between the departments and agenciesnorth and south.”

“Rail not only allows us to carry more people and freight in a more sustainable way, it is the great connector, enabling greater regional accessibility and balanced regional development.”

“The report provides a long-term vision and a series of recommendations for the sustainable development of the rail network on the island. I would like to see the recommendations actioned as soon as possible, and I am pleased that work is now well underway, with European Investment Bank assistance, on how we can move forward.”

The DART+ program was a part of the National Development Plan which was launched by the Department of Expenditure in 2021.

Under the plans, there will now be 12 trains per hour on the service compared to the current six trains per hour, and the passenger capacity will jump from 5,000 passengers an hour to over 13,000.

The Ashtown station will receive an upgrade as part of the works, with universally accessible pedestrian and cyclist footbridges and ramps taking centre stage.

Irish Rail said the “heritage setting” of Ashtown will be reflected in the upgraded station.

Non-motorised access at the level crossing could be replaced with a new roadway and cycleway passing along Mill Lane, which is west of the existing mill and surrounding buildings.

It has been proposed that the roadway will link with the existing Mill Lane, north of the Canal, and improve vehicular connectivity for people travelling between Rathborne and Pelletstown, as well as people travelling along the Navan Road and the M50.