The planned DART+ West project has picked up steam, as two objections to the process were withdrawn.
Two judicial review processes, submitted to An Bord Pleanála, have been withdrawn.
With no legal shadow hanging over the project, the planned improvements to West Dublin railways can now move to the next stage of development.
Under the plans, the DART system is going to extend from 50km to 150km, with west Dublin the main beneficiary of the planned works.
Once the works are complete, the passenger capacity for rail services in the Greater Dublin Area will increase from 26,000 passengers going in each direction every hour to 52,000.
The linchpin of the plan in West Dublin is the M3 Parkway and Maynooth route; the route will be electrified as a result of the DART+ West scheme, which will result in more frequent services.
In October 2024, An Bord Pleanála approved a Railway Order for the DART+ South West which calls for a line between Hazelhatch to Heuston/ Phoenix Park Tunnel.
It is estimated that the contracts will be awarded by the end of 2026.
An August 2024 document from the Department of Transport notes that a planned tunnel in Phoenix Park is crucial to the success of the DART project.
Increasing rail capacity and electrifying the lines at Connolly Station will lead to quicker commute times for those on the Maynooth service, with the M3 Parkway/Maynooth services passing through Drumcondra, Broombridge, Ashtown, Navan Road Parkway, Castleknock, Clonsilla, Hansfield and Dunboyne stations.
Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said his most “significant regret” from his time as TD for Dublin West was the slow progress of the DART+ West.
Speaking after leaving the Taoiseach’s office last year, he said that work was done to move the railway improvements to the legislative process, but expressed regret it wasn’t delivered during his time in office.
“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 last summer.
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.
Local TD and Green leader Roderic O’Gorman said, “it’s now more important than ever that the government puts aside more money to cover badly needed big public transport projects around the country.
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.
The DART+ program was a part of the National Development Plan which was launched by the Department of Expenditure in 2021.